The world today relies heavily on technology and rightly so. Technology has made many things a lot easier than was the case previously. The provision of healthcare is no exception. Technology has been incorporated in many aspects of providing preventive and curative health services which has served to improve efficiency in a remarkable manner. This is what has given rise to the concept of telehealth.
There are several factors that have led to this change of practice. The main driver for the change appears to be improved technology. Sharing of videos and pictures is very easy today and live chats have made things even more real time. Patients and their healthcare providers can thus be in touch regularly. Another important improvement has occurred in the pharmaceutical industry. Today, there are many effective drugs that can be safely administered at home hence no need for admission to hospital.
The management of chronic conditions is perhaps one area that has benefited the most after a significant number of physicians adopted the technology. Persons suffering from conditions such as heart failure, asthma, hypertension and diabetes often have to make regular trips to their physicians for check up and continuation or change of medication. This is both exhausting and expensive. This technology has made it possible to do all this remotely.
With this platform, doctor to doctor consultation is now a lot easier. It is possible to now get expert opinions on various challenging cases in a matter of minutes or hours even when such experts are in different geographical locations. In fact, through teleconferencing, several doctors can deliberate through a case as though they are in the same board room yet they could be hundreds if not thousands of miles apart.
Telenursing is a category of telemedicine dealing with the provision of nursing services. It is a form of home based care that rides on telecommunication technology. This service is particularly helpful to patients living alone in remote locations. This system increases efficiency as one nurse can monitor several patients at a go. It makes the service affordable by most people who need it.
Just as happened in many other industries, technology has been a major disruption in healthcare. Disruptions everywhere tend to face a lot of resistance. Some doctors of older generations initially showed resistance for a number of reasons. One of them was the fact that they had to shift from using print to computers and this required them to learn new skills. Others simply feared that they would lose their jobs.
Many patients have readily accepted the new way of doing things but some still have reservations. One of the causes for concern is their own privacy. Reassurances have centred around restrictions in access to private patient information. Only authorized healthcare professionals have accounts with accompanying user names and passwords. Moreover, information can only be extracted or shared with the consent of the patient.
The use of telecommunication systems in the provision of healthcare services is a train that has already left the station. Stakeholders need to accept and carve out their space. Although a number of concerns still exist, there is no doubt that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. Many patients are projected to be beneficiaries of these systems in years to come.
There are several factors that have led to this change of practice. The main driver for the change appears to be improved technology. Sharing of videos and pictures is very easy today and live chats have made things even more real time. Patients and their healthcare providers can thus be in touch regularly. Another important improvement has occurred in the pharmaceutical industry. Today, there are many effective drugs that can be safely administered at home hence no need for admission to hospital.
The management of chronic conditions is perhaps one area that has benefited the most after a significant number of physicians adopted the technology. Persons suffering from conditions such as heart failure, asthma, hypertension and diabetes often have to make regular trips to their physicians for check up and continuation or change of medication. This is both exhausting and expensive. This technology has made it possible to do all this remotely.
With this platform, doctor to doctor consultation is now a lot easier. It is possible to now get expert opinions on various challenging cases in a matter of minutes or hours even when such experts are in different geographical locations. In fact, through teleconferencing, several doctors can deliberate through a case as though they are in the same board room yet they could be hundreds if not thousands of miles apart.
Telenursing is a category of telemedicine dealing with the provision of nursing services. It is a form of home based care that rides on telecommunication technology. This service is particularly helpful to patients living alone in remote locations. This system increases efficiency as one nurse can monitor several patients at a go. It makes the service affordable by most people who need it.
Just as happened in many other industries, technology has been a major disruption in healthcare. Disruptions everywhere tend to face a lot of resistance. Some doctors of older generations initially showed resistance for a number of reasons. One of them was the fact that they had to shift from using print to computers and this required them to learn new skills. Others simply feared that they would lose their jobs.
Many patients have readily accepted the new way of doing things but some still have reservations. One of the causes for concern is their own privacy. Reassurances have centred around restrictions in access to private patient information. Only authorized healthcare professionals have accounts with accompanying user names and passwords. Moreover, information can only be extracted or shared with the consent of the patient.
The use of telecommunication systems in the provision of healthcare services is a train that has already left the station. Stakeholders need to accept and carve out their space. Although a number of concerns still exist, there is no doubt that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. Many patients are projected to be beneficiaries of these systems in years to come.
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