The use of health communication approaches and health information technology boost to improve health care quality and health outcomes ultimately, health equity. There is no contradict that many changes need to be made in health care system to meet the increasing requirements of the people to improve the overall health of the population. Due to advances in technology, telehealth has significantly improved patient access to health care and health care providers are armed with innovative tools to provide quality health care to a larger population across the nation. The use of advanced practice nurses in telehealth will be an integral part of these new model which will provide a walkable approach to collaborative and coordinated care. This type of technology offers chances to provide care when face to face collaboration is not …show more content…
Patients with risk factors such as poor heath literacy, polypharmacy and lack of supportive resources are in a greater need for interprofessional collaboration and can be benefited with the appropriate use of telehealth. Telehealth acts as an important instrument in the utilization of a collaborative approach from different health care specialties that delivers quality care, and augments patient safety and produces cost savings. Research studies have shown that remote patient monitoring through telemedicine have positive impact on hospital readmissions, avoidance of emergency department visits, disease management and patient satisfaction. According to National Rural Health Association (NRHA), telehealth technology will help geographic disparities and healthcare work force shortages, and increase action to preventive services to the vulnerable population, such as aging population, populations with chronic diseases and disabilities in underserved
Telehealth is the monitoring via remote exchange of physiological data between a patient at home and health care professionals at hospitals or clinics to assist with diagnosis and treatment. As our society ages and health care costs increase, government and private insurance payers are seeking technological interventions. Technological solutions may provide high quality healthcare services at a distance, utilize professional resources more effectively, and enable elderly and ill patients to remain in their own homes. Patients may experience decreased hospitalization and urgent care settings, and out of home care may not be required as the patient is monitored at home. However, no study has been able to prove telehealth benefits conclusively. This change in health care delivery presents new ethical concerns, and new relationship boundaries between health care professionals, patients, and family members. This paper will discuss telehealth benefits in specific patient populations, costs benefits of using telehealth, and concerns of using telehealth.
The purpose of telemedicine is to remove distance as a barrier to health care. While telehealth is an accepted resource to bridge the gap between local and global health care, integrating telehealth into existing health infrastructures presents a challenge for both governments and policy makers (HRSA, 2011). Today there are policy barriers that prevent the expansion of telehealth, including reimbursement issues raised by Medicare and private payers, state licensure, and liability and privacy concerns.
Prinz, L., Cramer, M., & Englund, A. (2008). Telehealth: A policy analysis for quality, impact on patient outcomes, and political feasibility. Nursing outlook, 56(4), 152-158.
“Telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status” (American Telemedicine Association, 2013). Telemedicine is the use of technology such as email, mobile devices, and computers to communicate health information (Mayoclinic.com, 2014). Telemedicine has enabled the use of communication technologies by healthcare professionals for the evaluation, diagnose, and the treatment of patients in rural areas (GlobalMed.com, 2014). Telemedicine is used in a variety of health care services like primary care, patients monitoring, health information sharing, health education (America Telemedicine Association, 2013). These services are delivered using various mechanisms such as video conferencing, personal health apps, e-visits (Mayoclinic.com, 2014). These technologies have been proven to increase access, to be cost efficient, to improve quality, and intensify patients’ satisfaction according to the America Telemedicine Association.
The goal of Rural Telemental Health (RTH) is to increase the access to those in the rural regions of states by using teleconferencing, video-conferencing, emails, group video-conferencing and the telephone to help the geriatric patient improve depression. Telemental Health and/or Telemedicine will also improve communication and collaboration with a team of healthcare providers such as rural clinic nurses and primary care physicians while giving the rural geriatric population access to a much needed health service.
Among the main aims of health care reform and improvement is expanding healthcare access to different populations, which have been subjects to underserving for a long period. These include the poor, the previously uncovered, rural societies, and the minorities, to mention just a few. Great challenges definitely lie ahead, since several individuals start seeking access to the primary healthcare clinicians (Arnaert & Delesie, 2001). Telenursing assures to be a crucial tool to meet such needs. It refers to making use of the telehealth technology in conducting nursing practice and delivering nursing care. Because of the quick telemedicine technology adoption within the healthcare institutions, telenursing emerges as a fresh tool that provokes discussions
Implementing telehealth. support medical practice in rural/remote regions: what are the conditions for success? Implement Sci. 2006 Aug 24;1:18. Epub 2006 Aug 24.
We live in the era of technology and telehealth is becoming a part of our lives. According to Guido (2014), telehealth Is a removal of time and distance barriers for the delivery of health care services and related health care activities. Internet and other communication technologies are the means for health care professionals to practice across state lines.
Harzheim (2017) is a narrative study, noting how a small group of physicians with experience with primary care and minimal information concerning telemedicine/telehealth successful implemented a teleconsult program. The program serviced 9 out of 26 states in Brazil and was initiated in 2007. After education and protocols were developed, a teleconsultation program was manifested. The teleconsulting program allowed dialogue between providers with the goal of resolving medical issues without in-person specialty consultation appointments. The program has been deemed successful as evidenced by over 83,000 hotline teleconsultations by the end of 2016 with a 95% approval rate; and overdue specialty appointments were decreased by 122,000 in two years (Gonçalves, Umpierre, D'Avila, Katz, Mengue, Siqueira, & ... Harzheim,
Telemedicine can make specialty care more accessible to rural and medically underserved communities and can easily connect providers a...
A., Pomerleau, S. G., & Penner, J. L., “Knowing is a process of perceiving and understanding the Self and the world”. Nurses as caregivers must appreciate each patient for who they are as individuals. The nurse must also know how to provide nursing care with the knowledge he/she gains from experience in the field. Caring is the main component needed for a nurse to give quality care to a patient. The nurse must assess the needs of a patient and direct the patient plan of care around the patient’s ability to engage in his/her own rehabilitation. Nurses must create a genuine relationship with the patient in order to determine how much their patient is willing to participate in their care. Nurses have always used their visual instincts in patient care. There has always been a face to face where the patient is physically in front the nurse. Telenursing is different because nurses no longer can rely on face to face interaction with their patients. In order to facilitate care over the phone nurses need to know their patient to provide individual care and ensure the safety of the patient with the nurses’ judgment. Not only can phone conversations be taken out of context so can emails and text messages. The nurse must have a strong bond with their patients so this type of complication will not occur. Another problem when using any form of communication that is not face to face is that it is not always possible to express empathy or build a sense of unity. Patients need to feel that the person on the other end cares. The tone a person takes on the phone can either make or break a relationship. In some conditions telenursing is not always appropriate, for instance a patient who is suffering from a deadly condition. Telephone and computers cannot provide compassion like a real person. In the end telenursing is a valuable service to patients but it is not
The technical issues that need to be addressed are fairly straightforward and deal largely with the set-up and maintenance of a telemedicine clinic. A clear understanding of the stakeholders in such a program is required along with a delineation of services that will initially be provided by the telemedicine clinics. As we have mentioned, we believe starting off with neurology, dermatology, and rheumatology clinics in three rural offices is the best way to start the telemedicine initiative. It of course follows that hardware that meets both communication and privacy standards will need to be acquired along with personnel hiring and training.
Introduction Telemedicine is a new advancement that allows medical information to be exchanged and transferred through the phone or internet to improve an individual's health. Approximately, 30% of physicians believe that the use of telemedicine can reduce both error in medical practice, and reduce treatment cost, while improving medical care. There are four main services that can be provided by telemedicine: primary care and specialist referral services, remote patient monitoring, consumer medical and health information, and medical education. Each of these services is dedicated to helping health professionals better communicate with one another and their patients. Telemedicine has four fundamental benefits: improved access, cost efficiencies,
From state and federal levels, the healthcare industry has come a very long way, experiencing changes along the way. The development of advanced technology that has enhanced the quality of healthcare delivery systems will help all patients to be able to benefit. Doctors are able to access patient records at a faster rate and respond to their patients in a much more timely fashion. E-mail, electronic transfer of records and telemedicine will give all patients and physicians the tools needed to be more efficient, deliver quality care and deliver quality telecommunication at a faster pace than before.
Telehealth nurses use the nursing process to provide care for individual patients or defined patient populations over a telecommunication device” (Stokowski, 2008).