Advantages Of Telehealth

Telehealth uses a variety of electronic communications media to provide information at a distance. This can include many things from telemessaging machines, webcam communication, or even smartphone applications. Telehealth can be useful for many different purposes; however, there are also several challenges. There are many benefits involved with communicating through telehealth. For example, sometimes emergency room physicians do not have the knowledge required to make life threatening decisions about a patient’s health. With this method of communication, doctors can contact facilities in nearby areas that have the expertise to determine the best plan of action for that patient. The American Telemedicine Association says, “Not only does telemedicine improve access to patients but it also allows physicians and health facilities to expand their reach, beyond their own offices.” Additionally, developing countries can benefit from this as well. Quality
While communicating with physicians through a webcam, it is very easy to face problems with the signal on these devices. This can cause the doctor to be unable to determine the illness, or even worse, misdiagnose the patient. Family Medicine practitioner, Mark Rood, says, “Because your appointment depends on technology, you’re at the mercy of anything that can interrupt your connection — bad weather, loss of power or even outdated software. Furthermore, the development of smartphone applications that can check vitals and monitor your health are rapidly increasing. In many cases this is a good thing, however; sometimes this prevents people from going to seek professional help when they are able to attempt diagnosing themselves. Fox News says, “As these forms of communication become more common, it is important to remember that virtual communication with a doctor is no substitute for immediate care in an