Custom «Telehealth in Healthcare» Essay Paper Sample

Healthcare is an important aspect in human life. The satisfaction of this basic need is universal to us. Access and reception of the service is fundamental to the growth of human beings. Geographical barriers and locational constraints at time hinder the delivery of this fundamental service. In this, principle, to provide healthcare anywhere and at any time is paramount to the implementation of telehealth principles. This seeks to provide healthcare services regardless to geographical orientation. Laura and Linda closely discus the possibilities achieved and the close application of this technology in the implementation of healthcare as follows.

According to Laura A. Stokowski, telehealth works using digital means and telecommunications to bring healthcare closer to the client. Laura also demonstrates how telecommunication can prove to be of much importance in respect to accumulating and accessing knowledge to advance the quality of services offered. Telehealth is the coordination and management of all healthcare, related activities using electronic media. Telehealth uses advanced technology such as video conferencing robotics and artificial intelligence in the management of healthcare services. Telehealth uses store and forward; where the client computer stores digital images of the patient and transmits them to the healthcare specialist. Secondly is by using real-time telehealth. In this, patient and doctor or healthcare specialist, uses digital transmission media such as the video conferencing equipment to interact in real-time. Thirdly, remote monitoring uses infrared equipment to monitor and collect biometric data about the patient and transfer’s it to a remote computer in real-time. Lastly, Laura talks about the use of telenursing in telehealth. In this scenario, the nurse use media such as the normal long calls to monitor and take care of patients.

In addition to this, Laura A. Stokowski talks of the areas in which hospitals and healthcare facilities can use telehealth in their day-to-day operations. Her article elucidates using telehealth in the following. Chronic disease management; monitoring and control of chronic disease spread and interaction with patients could be done through individual monitory of symptoms. This ensures that the patients take responsibility in their own welfare and reduces the end cost involved in the hospitalization of patients with chronic illnesses. In addition, using telehealth enhances patient safety after hospitalization if the specialist puts the technology in to use immediately after the hospital discharges the patient. In addition, monitoring and collecting a patient’s health analysis and biometrics, also known as tele-monitoring offers a close follow up and this increases the success rate of any treatment administered. Telehealth is advantageous in the preoperative monitoring of a patient. In this, the remotely monitored patients receive visits from tele-nurses to access how they are doing in terms of physical inhibition because of pain and the healing of post operation incisions. Lastly, Laura notes that health care facilities can use telenursing in wound care management by tele-nursing. In this, nurses monitor patients with chronic and septic wounds through video equipment and other medium.

According to Laura, telehealth has not yet reached the peak of its abilities. In this, certain issues exist in implementing the technology and the main principles of telehealth. These include privacy and security and usability issues in the design of telehealth programs. Privacy is paramount using the use of all facilities and technology related programs. This means that the patient is in all cases concerned with the maintenance of medical records privacy. Also, patients and other healthcare clients have not yet accepted the use of telehealth in the administration of treatment. The Reason for the above is difficulty in using the system and the lack of skills in employment of the technology. Holly Russo, in his article states that while telehealth is helpful in that; it increases access to information. In this, using the internet as a form of information exchange increases the amount of information accessed. Secondly, it increases the number for patients who can access the healthcare services at a given time. Lastly, Holly talks about the development of new ways of documenting and developing patient history. Technology provides electronic media for use in documentation procedures. Holly seeks to answer the question of how much technology has changed of affected healthcare and nursing. In this, Holly conclude that though the technology is a success, the employment and final implementation strongly depends on individual nurse’s skills and willingness to use the technology as a whole.

Finally, according to Linda’s article on the potential risks in telecommunication, Linda stresses the possible sources of risks in the use of telehealth technology. Linda insists that though the principle is a success; there are potential weak points that inhibit the success as follows. First, security in the use of telehealth programs is a major concern. The implementation of telehealth depends on the fact that the system will ensure proper implementation of security measures. Linda raises the issue of email exchange and handling procedures. In this, Linda explains that nursing and healthcare team should always obtain proper consent and authorization before emailing and viewing a client’s email. Second, the use of this technology offers a communication risk to nurses. Originally, locality and nursing standards trains nurses to handle communication in a healthcare facility setting. This, however, changes when the patient is involved with conversation and interaction through electronic media. Linda also notes that misunderstandings are very likely in telenursing. If communication drops before the proper clarification of an issue, this could cause a misunderstanding that could have devastating effects on the patient. Finally, Linda offers the documentation of all procedures and the use of standard protocols in the implementation of telehealth as solutions to the above risks and as standard procedures in the use of telenursing programs.

Conclusively, Technology and its advancement has increased efficiency in which all healthcare facilities and related services are implemented, but like all other enhancements, there exists risks. In this, the actual implementation of telehealth is crucial to the provision of healthcare and firms should use standard procedures to encourage the collaboration of the above principle and technology in the provision of healthcare services.