Research Methodology : Institution Affiliation

Through telehealth consultants patients are able to participate in clinical trials unavailable in many rural areas.This

It excludes the option of face-to-face communication during examinations. Finally, telehealth focuses on educational and research purposes involving all types of caregivers with telecommunication between patient and health professionals. Health care delivery in its use of information, records, communication, and will continue to grow with the Internet. The rapid expansion of information technology into daily life and business has healthcare delivery begin to adopt and optimize the use of technology.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how technology has impacted the health care delivery system. Health care technology is advancing at an increasingly rapid rate in the United States, and globally. Patients and providers are witnessing these changes through the use of telehealth, and telemedicine applications. Telehealth, and telemedicine are often used interchangeably, however there is a difference between the two applications. Telehealth is the use of technology to deliver health care, health information, or health education at a distance (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.).

In-home telehealth is a convenient method to deliver and review test results with patients and families eliminating the need to drive to multiple physicians’ offices to obtain the latest test results. Also, receiving and reviewing test results using telehealth is convenient for patients and families who are immobilized or who have a chronic debilitating disease such as multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015). Telehealth in-home monitoring enables older adults to receive medical care, treatment, and monitoring in their own home and remain living with their family. Another benefit of in-home telehealth and for diabetic care and treatment is the plan of care can be developed to include the family members and support persons. Diabetic teaching and education regarding diet and nutrition can include the family members so they may be instrumental in supporting lifestyle changes. Care in the home supported by family members is an important concern for patients and the preferred setting to receive medical care.

The benefits of telehealth consultations are immeasurable; clients are able to access a knowledgeable health care professional and receive a telephone triage/assessment and recommendations. This allows the patient to have immediate access to good health advice and quicker solutions. Telemedicine is one of the many vehicles of telehealth; for example, the cardiologist orders an outpatient Holter Monitor trial to evaluate arrhythmias. The technician calls the patient at the sign of any abnormal rhythm and investigate the activity performed when the reading fluctuation then the reported is communicated to the cardiologist. If warranted, the cardiology staff will contact the patient with instructions schedule an immediate appointment. Telehealth services resources would benefit the client in this next example, an individual’s come in for a sick visit expecting a prescription to be written for their illness; they receive informative instructions because of the nature of the

Many of these barriers exist from lack of essentially knowing the benefits of what the incorporation of telehealth can offer within the aspect of this type of community. At times, there has been a great interest in telehealth surrounding its potential to reduce health care costs along with the improvement of patient outcomes, but at times there has been no known scientific evidence base underpinning it (McLean, Sheikh, Cresswell, Nurmmatov, Mukherjee, Hemmi & Pagilari, 2013).

This provides a guideline that ensures that researchers minimize the amount of risk a study may impose to a participant. When planning a study, it is also important that each of the participants are provided with a sense of security and not placed at a disadvantage. When participants enter into a study, a level of trust is established, and their identities and the information they provide must be protected and never be used against them or exploited for any reason.

Telehealth is an all inclusive, systematic approach application of care and case management. The program personalizes the delivery of health care services using health informatics, disease management and health technologies. Telehealth facilitates access to care and improves the health of designated individuals and populations.

Surveys were coded by a numbering system developed by the researcher, to protect the confidentiality of the participants. For student records any identifier for each person were deleted ensuring privacy and anonymity to the researcher

“Hi! This is a very interesting topic, as I have used telehealth many times. As an educator for rural cancer centres, I do not have the ability to meet with the staff face-to-face, so telehealth is often used.

Diabetic patients have a chronic and complicated disease process which requires continual monitoring. Telehealth interventions were used to assist rural obese diabetics in South Carolina using TeleCare for one year. Patients participating in the TeleCare trial had better reductions in glycated hemoglobin and significant reductions in LDL cholesterol levels at 6 and 12 months than those receiving conventional interventions (Davis et al., 2010). Four factors that contributed to TeleCare being successful were high participation retention, modification of materials for cultural competency, coordinating administrative functions with the primary-care centers, and personalized interactions during group education sessions via video conferencing (Davis et al., 2010, p. 3).

In the case of the reviewed study, care was delivered fruitfully to a group of sick individuals that were poorly controlled, and the main medium used included live phone calls. According to the review paper, new forms of interventions that are based on technology emphasize on the utilization of the internet, telephone, pagers, cell phones, email and web-based programs to monitor and measure the condition status of diabetes patients, report on various habits and symptoms and encourage changes in a number of aspects of the management of the disease. In the case of the reviewed study, the central aspect was improved glycemic control and better adherence to medication (Fisher & Dickinson, 2011).

The delivery of health care has always been influenced by technological developments and innovations. This is particularly true in modern health care professionals where they are obsessed with technology and rush to apply them. One of the most recent applications of ICT – Information and computer technology- is telehealth. Telehealth is the use of communication, diagnostic and information technology to provide health care when patients and providers are geographically separated [2], Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store -and-forward imaging, streaming media, terrestrial and wireless communications. Telehealth could be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone or as

There is an increasing need within the U.S. for quality health care to be provided to individuals who have limited access whether it is due to a rural environment, disabilities, or in the field of battle. Telemedicine is literally medicine provided at a distance. Telehealth is able to alleviate some of the effects of a growing shortage of professionals such as primary care physicians. In this type of health care delivery, the dynamics between the patient and the entire health care system changes. Telemedicine meets the increasing demands of patients to have greater access, or responsiveness, from a health care provider. It also meets the needs of the provider who is very interested in time-saving, safety-enhancing assistance in their daily practice. Employers and health plans are also very interested in telemedicine as a means of improving compliance with treatment plans and care management initiatives (Hodgkins, 2008). The use of email also allows the patient to have increased access to their health care providers. Instead of calling their health care provider’s office, patients are now able to email their non-emergent health care questions to their provider. Conversely, health care providers are able to email patients reminders for appointments or wellness tips.

There are several forms of technology that is used to monitor, assist patients with self-care management, assist physicians with delivering care to their patients, including consultation with specialist, and overcoming barriers with transportation. “60% of the healthcare executives, physicians, and nurses in this inaugural survey said that telemedicine was a high priority for 2015“ (Vockley, 2015, para. 7) Telemedicine