Telemedicine Case Study

In the United States, a renewed interest occurred in telehealth in the 1990s according to McGonigle and Mastrian because of escalating costs, the need for greater access for all

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.).

The incorporation of telehealth shows tremendous productivity, because it expands quality services to patients in other regions especially in underservices populations by cutting down on healthcare spending by

In this paper we will discuss an innovation that has been developed in the last 20 years that has influenced the health care industry. That innovation is telemedicine.

In the face of the limits of traditional support, it is necessary not only to redesign an organization, but to a paradigm shift that allows the socio-health performance to be efficiently and sustainably distributed to the widest possible audience. Digital technologies applied to healthcare and healthcare systems can increase their efficiency, improve their quality of life and give innovative impetus to healthcare markets. Telemedicine services can therefore be assimilated to any diagnostic / therapeutic health service. However, telemedicine performance does not replace traditional healthcare performance in the personal-patient relationship, but integrates it to improve its effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness.

Telehealth has been a large topic of debate in recent years because of the economic, political, and regulatory points of view. In deciding outcomes in these areas, it is the responsibility of all healthcare professions to identify information gaps in order to come to the more rational and beneficial conclusion about telehealth (Grace, 2014). Economically, there are concerns regarding the access and affordability of telehealth equipment. At the same time, telehealth is being adapted in ways to be utilized with technological devices that many individuals already have access to like telephones, cellular phones, and personal computers/laptops. Telehealth can positively impact both clients and providers by increasing access to care and reducing the time and costs associated with traveling for health care (Allen, Aylott, Loyola, Moric, & Saffarek, 2015). As telehealth develops technological devices can be made more affordable and can be covered by insurance policies (Thomas et al., 2014). Many nurses functioning as case managers can help provide the tools and resources individuals require to manage their health.

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.

The use and applications of telehealth services have expanded over the past decade, along with the role of technology in improving and coordinating care. Telehealth has improved capabilities to reduce travel time, increase access to specialty care, and improve patient safety, quality of care, and provider support.1 Traditional models of telehealth involve care delivered to the patient at a series of originating (or spoke) sites from a specialist working at a distant (or hub) site.

Telehealth Is Not Cost-Effective - Lack of definitive proof of profitability to those directly responsible for the financial health of organizations is the major stumbling block to widespread adoption of telehealth. The entities resisting the adoption of telehealth the most seems to be physicians, hospital administrators and healthcare payers (Erickson PhD, et al., 2015). Providers simply will not provide telehealth services if they are not adequately reimbursed by payers or allowed by regulators.

While the internet and modern EHR technology has undeniably transformed healthcare in the past two decades, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact will accelerate telemedicine adoption, providing even more opportunities to enhance chronic disease management and improve patient safety. Patients will have access to their specialists without the physical and financial burdens of travel across town, and to other states, when clinically appropriate.

Teladoc operates on a virtual platform, which means that the potential to expand beyond national borders is very achievable in the future. The global telehealth market is expected to reach $66,606 million by 2021 (Mordor Intelligence, 2017). Growth in the telehealth market is fueled by technological innovation, an increased use of patient monitoring, and an increase of chronic diseases that require long-term follow-up (Mordor Intelligence,

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

Substitutes: As the growth of this market develops, other firms will attempt to create more efficient and effective technologies for the consumers’ problems. With telemedicine becoming more and more popular other firms could develop new products at a cheaper price, thereby minimizing the inconvenience and cost of switching services.

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

Also, the suggestions provided to help with the research seems appropriate. One suggestion that can be added to the list is to include the pharmacies (private or government) in the telemedicine plan as there may be some times when a person is not able to go the pharmacy to pick up their medicine and the pharmacies can deliver the same to the address. This means that during the discussion, one more party have to be on-board for the development and implementation of telemedicine systems that is the pharmacies that are affiliated to the medical facilities.