Telehealth
Telehealth involves delivering clinical care, health education, self-care monitoring, and health information services through electronic communication. Telemedicine is a subset of telehealth that deals with the remote treatment and diagnosis of clients through telecommunication technology (Ohannessian et al., 2020). Telehealth is a critical part of the health sector as about 90% of Americans use telehealth, and over 71% report access through mobile phones. Telehealth is used worldwide to remotely monitor chronic health conditions like diabetes in patients of all ages and gender. This annotated bibliography provides insight into the wide use of telehealth, its advantages, patient outcomes, and the raised limitations.
Annotated Bibliography
Horrell, L. N., Hayes, S., Herbert, L. B., MacTurk, K., Lawhon, L., Valle, C. G., & Bhowmick, A. (2021). Telemedicine Use and Health-Related Concerns of Patients With Chronic Conditions During COVID-19: Survey of Members of Online Health Communities. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(2), e23795. https://doi.org/10.2196/23795
This article discusses the use of telemedicine for continuity of care among patients with chronic (existing) conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients with autoimmune diseases (like lupus), chronic respiratory diseases ( like COPD and asthma), diabetes, hypertension, and cancer were at a higher risk of severe covid illness than individuals with no pre-existing conditions. During the lockdown, they used electronic gadgets to communicate with their doctors and specialists. Most patients shared their health status through emails, phone calls, and others through their health patient portal. Other patients book appointments online and can discuss their medications, current symptoms, and precautions to take online via a video conference in the comfort of their homes. In addition, the article talks about the increase in telehealth outreaches during the pandemic in educating the public on the appropriate measures to take and practices to avoid preventing the transmission of COVID-19. Through telehealth, the public was educated on their mental and emotional well-being during the global crisis. Telehealth is recommended as it saves time (the patient does not travel to the health facility), protects the patients from infectious diseases like covid 19, and provides quality care equal to a physical doctor appointment. However, the article outlined limitations to the use of telehealth in low socio-economic groups due to financial constraints and among older people who need help to book an appointment online.
Horsley, S., Schock, G., Grona, S. L., Montieth, K. E., Mowat, B., Stasiuk, K., Boden, C., & Bath, B. (2020). Use of real-time videoconferencing to deliver physical therapy services: A scoping review of published and emerging evidence. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 26(10), 581–589. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633×19854647
This article gives insight into the functioning, accuracy, and patient outcomes of using video scopes, video conferencing, and high-resolution cameras in telehealth. It discusses the advantages of videoconferencing in delivering physical therapy services. Video conferencing conquers the distance and provides quality physical therapy care to patients with Musculoskeletal conditions. It reduces transportation costs and increases safety. Musculoskeletal conditions like fractures and bone dislocation are more prone in remote and rural areas with few physical therapists. Therefore, there is a need for real-time videoconferencing to provide physical therapy to cover the shortage and minimize transfer and overcrowding in urban hospitals. The patient can spend time with the family and report to work while accessing health care services. In addition, the patient outcome is reported to be excellent due to quality care, adherence to appointments, and family support at home. Videoconferencing is also utilized in providing care to military personnel and inmate, thus increasing access to healthcare. High-resolution cameras are used to diagnose bone malformations and monitor joint re-joining and the healing process online.
Moreover, videoconferencing promotes collaboration of care between the patient and the caregiver. Remote patient monitoring requires the patient to follow the nurse’s instructions in physical assessment, cardiac assessment, and any other procedure required and report the findings to the nurse or record them in their mobile health app. The nurse can share the patients’ findings electronically with the doctor and plan the care. However, when the patient has an emergency, and the condition worsens, they must report physically to the hospital or be referred to the nearest hospital.
Sisk, B., Alexander, J. M., Bodnar, C. E. F., Curfman, A., Garber, K., McSwain, S. D., & Perrin, J. M. (2020). Pediatrician Attitudes Toward and Experiences with Telehealth Use: Results from a National Survey. Academic Pediatrics, 20(5), 628–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2020.05.004
This article describes children’s experiences in using telehealth to receive care. Telehealth enhances the care of children as children receive care in a familiar environment at home, less time away from parents, less stress with no beeping of monitoring machines or drug odor, and reduced exposure to germs. It promotes family-centered care, and the kid with diabetes can report to school under a remote monitoring gadget that alerts the child when the sugars are too high or too low. Ensuring quality care and preventing complications of diabetes like ketoacidosis or nephropathy. In addition, pediatricians have applied telehealth in research, quality control, practice, consultation, and education. Telehealth has widely been used in training pediatric nurses and doctors on a wide array of telehealth to ensure the providers meet patients’ evolving expectations while maintaining the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In providing care through telehealth, nurses’ ethics and professionalism are kept in the physical consultations. Telehealth eases the continuity of medical education and administrative meetings in the health sector. Telehealth remains the most child-friendly means of care delivery in the world. However, the article linked it to some barriers like; the high cost of purchasing equipment and paying for telehealth services.
Gujranwala, S. N., & Pelkowski, J. N. (2021). Telehealth Benefits and Barriers. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(2), 218–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.09.013
This article offers a comprehensive insight into how telehealth works and its significant benefits and barriers. Telehealth provides care to patients at home without them having to wait long in hospital queues; hence it is effective and efficient. It dramatically reduces the cost for patients and families in chronic conditions as the patient is monitored remotely. Furthermore, it promotes utilizing mental and emotional care services like counseling, psychotherapies, and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Most patients suffering from mental and emotional related conditions prefer video chats or video conferencing for privacy and to avoid stigma. 65% of patients utilizing telehealth services say it’s more convenient than meeting a doctor at a clinic, as you can make an appointment anytime.
On the other hand, 63% of patients report that telehealth services are safe to use and are tailored to patients’ consideration and satisfaction. Various patients’ radiographic images, X-rays, and medical reports are shared through telehealth. Telehealth can reduce American health services spending by dealing with problems like misuse of medications, including opioids, prolonged hospitalizations, and unnecessary emergency visits. Despite the increasing utilization of telehealth services, it is facing various challenges. There are possibilities of technical difficulties and limitations in performing comprehensive physical assessments due to the few tools available in remote areas. Telehealth also faces regulatory and legal barriers in its scope of practice bringing confusion among health providers. There are also reports of security breaches of patient information and health records when the Patient Health Portal is hacked and the patient’s personal information is exposed. Therefore, telehealth is efficient, and the barriers can be managed.
Conclusion
Despite their limitations, telehealth services are recommended in the management of chronic conditions and mental, emotional, and psychiatric conditions. Traveling patients best utilize telehealth services remotely. The use of telehealth services saves time and is efficient. In addition, using telehealth solves the health provider shortage problem and reduces hospital overcrowding, resulting in the delivery of quality care. Telehealth promotes close patient interaction and good communication with the care providers. The patient agrees with the doctor on the appropriate time for an appointment. Telehealth has a wide field of use, not limited to providing clinical care. It is used in continuing medical education, training healthcare providers, and administrative meetings. In this generation, a telemedicine visit is similar to an in-person visit. The only difference is the platform, lack of physical touch, and limited monitoring of medical tools in the remote.
References
Gajarawala, S. N., & Pelkowski, J. N. (2021). Telehealth Benefits and Barriers. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(2), 218–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.09.013
Horrell, L. N., Hayes, S., Herbert, L. B., MacTurk, K., Lawhon, L., Valle, C. G., & Bhowmick, A. (2021). Telemedicine Use and Health-Related Concerns of Patients With Chronic Conditions During COVID-19: Survey of Members of Online Health Communities. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(2), e23795. https://doi.org/10.2196/23795
Horsley, S., Schock, G., Grona, S. L., Montieth, K. E., Mowat, B., Stasiuk, K., Boden, C., & Bath, B. (2020). Use of real-time videoconferencing to deliver physical therapy services: A scoping review of published and emerging evidence. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 26(10), 581–589. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633×19854647
Ohannessian, R., Duong, T. A., & Odone, A. (2020). Global Telemedicine Implementation and Integration Within Health Systems to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call to Action. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 6(2), e18810. https://doi.org/10.2196/18810
Sisk, B., Alexander, J. M., Bodnar, C. E. F., Curfman, A., Garber, K., McSwain, S. D., & Perrin, J. M. (2020). Pediatrician Attitudes Toward and Experiences with Telehealth Use: Results from a National Survey. Academic Pediatrics, 20(5), 628–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2020.05.004
write