Telehealth is contributing immensely towards reshaping the entire contemporary healthcare landscape, as we know it. Telehealth meaning is the provision of remote healthcare via telecommunications and other technologies. It can be called a form of virtual care or digital healthcare.
The term gained traction throughout the 1980s and ever since, the sector has expanded considerably, including many new technologies and devices for the transmission of medical data on a real-time basis worldwide. This has enabled the entire healthcare industry to provide services to those under-served or un-served.
It is also being deployed now by both private and public providers of healthcare services, with goals including efficient emergency care, treating mental illness, enhancing long-term outcomes for patients, and more.
The indispensable functions of telehealth in the healthcare sector
Telehealth is steadily becoming indispensable for the modern healthcare industry, especially with regard to expanding the scope and accessibility of healthcare for more people. Here are some of its vital functions-
Telehealth solutions have ushered in expertise across multiple areas. For instance, a community or group without access to a cardiac care specialist may remotely get the same in case of any requirement. It will not fully do away with visits to the doctor but rather work in tandem with the same for treatment cycles.
Healthcare providers and doctors will be able to better monitor and track patients within these cycles while keeping them on track with their treatments. Practitioners will also get access to invaluable data for supporting treatments.
Telehealth creates the interface between patients and healthcare providers, ensuring that suitable advice is given along with ensuring health tracking and more specializations that patients would not otherwise obtain.
Communities grappling with emergencies or natural disasters can also use telehealth for additional access to critical care solutions. It has already transformed emergency care in recent years.
How Telehealth will look in the Future
Telehealth will evolve greatly in the near future as per expectations. Here are some of the key points worth noting in this regard.
As can be seen, remote healthcare or telehealth is here to stay. And for good reason.
FAQs
What is the meaning of telehealth, and how do they work?
Telehealth means remote, virtual, or digital healthcare, including tracking, consultations, medical advice, treatment solutions, and diagnosis. This works through dedicated online or mobile platforms.
What are some potential challenges and limitations of telehealth?
Challenges include proper internet connectivity, technological hesitation amongst a section of the under-served population globally, and so on.
How can telehealth be used to improve access to healthcare in underserved communities?
Telehealth can be a godsend for better healthcare access in underserved communities. People can easily find specializations that they desire in emergencies and also for regular consultations and follow-up care. They can also avoid visits and long-distance travel to hospitals by consulting physicians/practitioners via digital or virtual platforms and getting all necessary medical care and advice.
What impact is telehealth having on the overall cost of healthcare?
Telehealth has greatly lowered the overall cost of obtaining healthcare, considering that people no longer need to wait in line at hospitals and go for more expensive procedures or spend money on admissions. Preventive care and tracking are now readily possible via telehealth and this has lowered overall patient costs in the healthcare system.
