Impacts of Telemedicine
Impacts of Telemedicine
The continued research and use of technology in medicine have seen the growth of telemedicine where the use of telecommunication helps to share information on healthcare. This approach has had several impacts on the operations and patient satisfaction from the use of telemedicine. This literature review intends to demonstrate some of the specific impacts that telemedicine has had on the healthcare practice. Some of the impacts to be addressed include the cost of healthcare, the quality and access to healthcare by the patients. The analysis seeks to demonstrate how the three aspects have changed with the adoption of telemedicine as Kvedar, Coye and Everett (2014) demonstrate.
Telemedicine and cost effectiveness
Over time, studies have indicated that patients, service providers have parted with large amounts of money to ensure good healthcare. According to Polk andO’Gara (2015), with the introduction of different applications for telemedicine, there has been a significant reduction in the cost of healthcare. One aspect that has contributed to reduced cost of healthcare is the introduction of patient-centered services in place of primary care provision as Rho et al. (2015) demonstrates. The cost reduction has made it easy for patients to receive treatment and healthcare services that meet their needs at a relatively low cost. Many developed countries have embraced the use of patient-centered medical homes that have cut down the cost and processes that would delay healthcare provision. Despite the fact that many health systems do not have these services, patient-centered medical homes approach has gained acceptance among many patients and healthcare practitioners. According to Ruxwana, Herselman and Conradie (2010), places that have embraced the practice have had few readmissions of patients back into hospital as compared to those that have not adopted it. Those that have embraced the use of patient-centered medical homes contracts have reported reduced cost for acquiring medicine from pharmacies. According to Stowe and Harding (2010), the need for emergency medical services and facilities has also reduced among people who have joined the scheme. The patient-centered medical homes allow sharing of information related to patients through telecommunication that makes it easy for service providers to offer required support effectively. From VanDerHeijden (2010) point of view, it is essential for governments and any mother stakeholder in the healthcare industry to join hands in supporting patients to enter the patient-centered medical homes contracts for reduced cost of healthcare provision. The practice is critical in linking health providers with patients in places where a one on one doctor visit may not be possible according to Wilcox and Adhikari (2012).
The other aspect of health care that has led to reduced cost for patients includes the hospital at the home initiative. Some individuals may not afford the cost of having a patient in the hospital. This makes it necessary to have the hospital at home plan for patients as compared to the in-patient approach. The hospital at home has saved the lives of many patients especially the old age individuals that find it difficult in staying in a hospital for a long duration of time. The initiative has also reduced the demand for lab tests as compared to patients that are in hospital admissions according to Wootton (2012). The quality of the hospital at home has also proven to be better than the one provided at the hospital due to the high number of patients that the provider is serving. Many patients have also shown satisfaction by the hospital at the home plan as compared to the in-patient practice.
Telemedicine programs have also contributed to better treatment and management of chronic diseases. Studies indicate that telemedicine has made it easy for care providers to serve chronically ill patients without many difficulties. Many chronic diseases require consistent checkups and administration of medication based on the right dosage. Care providers have been able to serve patients with these conditions using several programs for healthcare management. The approach has also contributed to reduced mortality rate for people with chronic diseases.
Telemedicine has been essential in supporting the endeavors of healthcare providers across the world, which in turn has made it possible for patients to save on the cost of healthcare. With different telemedicine applications, healthcare providers can access emergency rooms for patients in critical conditions as Shiferaw and Zolfo (2012) indicate. This has helped reduce cases of patients’ mortality rates. Telemedicine applications have also been essential in securing correctional facilities for healthcare providers. It may be costly for healthcare providers and the patient’s family to move around looking for correctional facilities. The use of telemedicine has made this possible at a relatively low cost. Another aspect with improvements through telemedicine is the transfers involved in nursing homes according to Wootton and Bonnardot (2010). Telemedicine has made this approach much easier for the patients and reduced the cost that is involved in securing emergency services in nursing homes. Telemedicine has contributed to the easy coordination of healthcare services across different departments among service providers. This has made healthcare provision cost effective, and patients can afford the services as compared to the traditional approaches. The use of technology should be highly embraced in healthcare provision since it has reduced the cost of treatment significantly.
Concept 2
Healthcare quality and telemedicine
The quality of healthcare is also an essential aspect when it comes to telemedicine. Patients need to get quality healthcare at a reduced cost. The cost reduction because of telemedicine has also come with improved services to the patients. Telemedicine has led to efficient and effective monitoring of patients across different regions according to World Health Organization (2010). This has made it necessary for patients from diverse backgrounds to acquire quality services similar to those that are financially stable regardless of their location. There has been a conception where financially stable families and individuals are the only groups that received quality healthcare. With the introduction of telemedicine, individuals from disadvantaged families can receive same quality healthcare according to Zhang, Ansari and Tsunoda (2010). Studies have indicated that the use of telemedicine produces the same results as the in-person services if properly used by both patients and healthcare providers according to Whited (2010). Some of the areas that telemedicine has proved to provide sustainable and quality services include in the management of people with diabetes. The use of telemedicine has helped people living with diabetes through professionals and use of peers. The approach has helped in patients with diabetes to manage the disease effectively with minimum difficulties. Patients that have been able to manage diabetes successfully help professionals in supporting new patients overcome the challenges. Through the exchange of information between patients and professionals using telemedicine, patients have been able to manage diabetes with minimum challenges.
As Gherardi (2010) states, telemedicine has been an essential aspect of ensuring quality health care among communities across the globe. One case demonstrating the success of telemedicine includes the reduced health conditions disparity by Indians living in the United States. India has embraced the use of information technology in healthcare provision for its population in the United States. More than two million of Indians living in the United States can receive quality healthcare through telemedicine as Johansson and Wild (2010) demonstrate. Cases of lipoprotein cholesterol have reduced among this population sect living in the United States according to Grabowski and O’Malley (2014). Similarly, cases of diabetes among Indians living in the United States have reduced through management programs that embrace the use of telemedicine in sharing information among patients. The improved quality of healthcare has also resulted in high life expectancy among this population.
Telemedicine has also shown a positive impact in the treatment of patients with heart diseases and psychological disorders. The diagnosis carried out on these conditions provided reliable information for the right treatment similar to that of in-patient approach according to Meier, Fitzgerald, and Smith (2013). Telemedicine has also made it necessary for schools and other institutions of learning to offer pediatric services with minimum difficulties. The approach has received support from parents, teachers and stakeholders in the education sector because of the quality healthcare provided using telemedicine. According to Battrick (2014), televisual approaches to medication have reported more than 95% accuracy findings in consultation services. Despite the fact that there have been several cases of patient disappointments, the approach has proven to give similar results to the face-to-face consultation services. Telemedicine has improved the communication rate between patients and their healthcare providers. This is easy since different forms of communication platforms can be used by the two parties to interact. Patients can adhere to medication because healthcare providers constantly monitor them. It is also possible for patients to engage in self-care services because they have the right information from professionals and peers.
Telephonic Stethoscope has contributed to the detection of heart diseases among children. The approach has made it easy for patients to get treatment at an early age to avoid further complications as Simonson and Zvacek (2014) demonstrate. Patients with mental health have a chance to benefit from the use of telemedicine since their health information and diagnosis conducted with minimum difficulties. The clinical outcome of telemedicine and that of face-to-face consultations and treatment have proven to have no or insignificant difference. According to Bujnowska-Fedak, Puchała and Steciwko (2011), telemedicine has played an essential role in improving the quality of healthcare for patients from diverse regions and different age groups. This has seen the healthcare conditions improve, and the life expectancy of individuals improve. It is essential for all stakeholders to help put in place initiatives and measures to promote telemedicine in the society according to Le Goff-Pronost and Sicotte (2010).
Concept 3
Telemedicine and access to healthcare
Access to healthcare is necessary for any individual, family, and community. Healthcare access is what ensures improved standards of living and increased life expectancy. With telemedicine, many people in different locations and regions have been able to get healthcare services. According to Ekeland, Bowes andFlottorp (2012), doctors and physicians can provide healthcare services to a large pool of patients at a short time. Many patients benefit from consultation services by professional healthcare providers. The information offered by healthcare providers has been essential for patients across different regions since they can administer self-care with professional support. Some regions are inaccessible making it difficult for providers to reach the patients. Such patients are likely to lack health care services if they rely on in-patient support. From Doukas, Pliakas and Maglogiannis (2010) point of view, telemedicine has made this much easier since patients in inaccessible areas can get professional care and support without necessarily visiting the doctor’s office. The scarcity of healthcare facilities in the rural areas has also been a problem in the healthcare provision and disparity in health standards. As Mantas and Hasman (2013) state, telemedicine has bridged the gap between people living in rural areas and access to healthcare services. There have been several barriers contributing to the lack of proper healthcare access among many people in the society.
The distance to health facilities is one problem partially solved by the adoption of technology in healthcare provision. As Ekeland, Bowes and Flottorp (2010) demonstrate, the limited transportation facilities problem is dealt with by the invention of telemedicine in the current healthcare practices. For a long time, people have had difficulties in servicing insurance plans for healthcare due to the cost involved. This has made it impossible for many from less privileged and unemployed to access quality services. Telemedicine has made it easy for people to access the services due to reduced cost. Educational and cultural backgrounds have also played a role in the level of healthcare provision in society according to Anderson, Annett, and Bischof (2010). People with low levels of education are likely not to seek for proper medical attention. The processes involved in securing appointments from the doctor and service providers made it difficult for people to seek medical attention. Telemedicine has made it easy for patients to get the needed support from healthcare providers since they can use their phones and computers to reach specialists. The main barriers to proper health care provision are phased out using telemedicine.
The invention of technology has contributed to improved healthcare provision and services. One aspect that is rapidly growing in the healthcare industry is telemedicine where patients and healthcare providers share information through communication technology. The practice has seen many positive impacts in the health service provision. Some of the positive impacts that are present in telemedicine include cost reduction. Patients can get good service at a reduced cost. Monitoring processes and management of patients with chronic diseases has also been made cost effective. Unlike the traditional services delivery that requires in-person visits to the doctor, telemedicine has made it easy to access healthcare. The barriers to good health care such as distance are reduced since patients need not travel to get medical attention. The quality of medical services through telemedicine is similar to that offered by a face-to-face visit to a doctor. Telemedicine has several challenges, but the positive side of the practice is far much beneficial as compared the negative sides. Different stakeholders need to join hands and help in the implementation of telemedicine. Studies indicate that the practice has gained acceptance by patients, providers and families to the patients due to the positive impacts. By embracing the practice, there will be minimum discrepancies regarding health standards, mortality rates, and hospital admissions.
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