Telehealth and telemedicine can be a bit confusing for some people. But with its recent advancing rise in use, it’s important to be well-informed about this new wave of technology in the medical field.
If you’re starting to consider telehealth services or just want to know more about what it entails, then this list of frequently asked questions will give you the information you need on how to get started, what to expect, and how to proceed.
Top 10 Questions People Ask.
- Why Should I Use Telehealth?
It is an umbrella term for all forms of remote health services, clinical or non-clinical.
It exists to make getting health care more convenient. It eliminates the distance barrier, enabling people from any part of the world to receive good medical care as if they were present physically.
It also works for people of all ages and for most illnesses.
Examples include, having a consultation visit to the doctor’s office virtually through video chat or monitoring a patient’s vitals remotely.
People who have time and distance issues would greatly appreciate the opportunities that telehealth provides. But it’s also a great pick for anyone and everyone.
- How Common Is Telehealth?
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a huge rise in the use of telehealth over in-person hospital visits. It became an effective tool in dispensing medical care to people in the face of the restrictions placed on movement.
In the world today, millions of patients use telehealth to monitor their vitals like pulse rate, and blood pressure to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Although telehealth faces some limitations in Nigeria, many hospitals and health centers use it in some form.
Wellness applications and sites are becoming increasingly common as well.
In some parts of the world, employers even include telemedicine services as part of employee health insurance programs.
- Is Telehealth Safe?
Yes, it is a very safe option for getting medical care.
There are, of course, telehealth policies to enforce safety and ensure that the quality of the services provided is not diminished.
Healthcare providers are held to these standards to make sure that the patient’s safety and recovery are prioritized.
It may not be very appropriate, however, for all medical situations and the opinion of a medical professional should be sought.
Above all, a patient’s privacy and confidentiality are also maintained remotely, provided the network connections used are secure.
- What Is The Most Significant Reason That Telehealth Is Important?
It is most important for the convenience it provides. As a result, emergencies have been reduced, general hospitalization risks lowered, mortality rates cut down and the reach of medical care in rural communities deepened.
These are all huge achievements for the medical field.
- What Are The Key Components of Telehealth?
It includes four distinct applications:
•Live videos which involve a two-way interaction between a person and a provider using audiovisual telecommunications technology.
•Store and forward which involves the electronic transmission of medical information to a practitioner or specialist, who uses the information to render a service outside of real-time or live interaction.
•Remote patient monitoring (RPM) which involves the collection of personal health and medical data from an individual in one location, and transmitting it to their healthcare provider in a different location for use in care and related support.
•mHealth or mobile health which involves medical care and public health education supported by mobile devices such as cell phones, tablets, and computers.
- What Are The Five Basic Requirements For Telemedicine?
If you’re looking to begin receiving medical care remotely, the basic requirements for telehealth include:
•A communication device like a smartphone, tablet, or PC.
•A secure internet connection.
•A video platform.
•Video recording abilities.
•Telehealth peripherals for sharing your vital signs with the practitioner.
- What Is Possibly The Biggest Disadvantage To Telehealth?
While virtual care offers rather convenient and cost-effective trips to the doctor’s office, its major downside is that not every visit can be made remotely.
Procedures like imaging tests, blood tests, x-rays, and so on still require a more hands-on approach.
Although some aspects can be covered virtually, certain conditions still require the medical practitioner to be physically present.
- Can TCM Be Done Via Telehealth?
TCM stands for Transitional Care Management.
This is when a healthcare provider takes charge of the patient’s care from the moment he or she has been discharged to ensure that there are no lapses in the patient’s health.
It is designed to last 30 days or a month.
It usually involves the provider engaging in one in-person visit with the patient and then additional virtual meetings.
With this established, we can affirm that TCM can be done with telehealth. The non-face-to-face meetings can be carried out by live video.
The in-person visit however, is non-negotiable and essential for the patient’s health.
- Where Can Patients Get Access To Telehealth Services?
Patients can inquire at the hospital about any telehealth services available to them.
They could also request a personalized plan from their primary healthcare provider.
For employees with a virtual care benefit as part of their health insurance program, they could inquire from their employer about the extent such programs cover.
Private companies like Jaey Healthcare also offer basic telehealth services, including 24/7 access to a healthcare professional, virtual care, remote prescription and diagnosis, and remote monitoring of certain medical conditions.
- Will Telehealth Someday Eliminate The Need To Visit A Doctor’s Office?
Just like it has over the years, technology will keep on advancing, changing the face of medical care as we know it. But it will most likely never fully substitute for face-to-face interactions in health.
Just like emails and electronic messaging will never fully replace human interaction, there will always be the need for the physical dispensation of medical services.
We will, however, see better results and patient outcomes as time progresses and more people turn to telemedicine in the years to come.
Conclusion.
As more investment is pumped into telehealth in the medical industry, patients will continue to benefit from these new cutting-edge technologies.
More platforms are being created for those seeking online healthcare services because of their convenience. Becoming one of them by joining the moving train of telemedicine is something we would highly recommend.
Author:
Ogboi Miracle Nwachukwu.
References.“
•What is telehealth? – CCHP”
Accessed on January 20th, 2022 from,
https://www.cchpca.org/what-is-telehealth/
•”What are the Telehealth Hardware Requirements?”
Accessed on January 20th, 2022 from,
https://letstalkinteractive.com/blog/what-are-the-telehealth-hardware-requirements
•”Telehealth: The advantages and disadvantages – Harvard Health”
Accessed on January 20th, 2022 from,
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/telehealth-the-advantages-and-disadvantages
•”Frequently Asked Questions In Telehealth: A Patient’s Guide”
Accessed on January 20th, 2022 from,
