As the population grows there is a need to be able to provide healthcare services to everyone equally. But the resources required for such an action are nearly insufficient. This is where technology comes in to play an important role in the provision of healthcare services through Telehealth.
What is Telehealth technology?
The term mostly Telehealth explains itself, being a combination of virtual technology and telecommunications. It includes providing healthcare facilities other than the traditional services provided by healthcare workers. The use of telecommunications and technology is used to provide long-distance clinical care and any health-related education between patient and doctor.
Telehealth Services
The services prove useful to the elderly or chronically ill patients who can receive health guidance and have regular checkups from home itself. It is easier for doctors to keep an eye out for such patients and help them maintain a healthy lifestyle through constant communication via Telehealth services.
Another benefit is for the healthcare workers in the need of some direction from superiors. When working from remote field settings there may rise a need to get help from professionals located elsewhere for diagnosis or care of patients, in this case, this technology can be used for training and sharing information between healthcare professionals.
Telehealth Vs. Telemedicine
Although Telehealth and Telemedicine may sound similar and are quite often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the terms. It doesn’t always encompass the same clinical services as provided by Telemedicine. Rather it refers to a broader scope of remote healthcare services provided than Telemedicine.
Telemedicine mostly includes clinical services provided for remote treatment of patients, while Telehealth also includes non-clinical services like medical training or administrative meetings. Sharing digital images or files of a patient for diagnosis, including X-rays, CT scans, etc, is a part of Telehealth services.
Telehealth Benefits
With a well-devised Telehealth plan improving the healthcare system and offering remote treatment can become quite efficient. The chronically ill can be monitored regularly and the effectiveness of their treatment plan can be deduced through Telehealth technology. This is advantageous in the treatment of chronic patients as well as vulnerable ones, by preventing any medical emergency from happening.
Portability, convenience, and communication are the most essential factors that make this technology handy and valuable for healthcare providers and patients alike.