Telehealth patient education

Telehealth ExplainedBy Enda Edward

What is Telehealth? A Telehealth consultation is similar to a

regular videoconferencing whereby a meeting is run through a camera between a specialist in his/her clinic, and you in the comfort and privacy of your home .

The Telehealth Process1. Scheduling: provides you with a

confirmed appointment2. Consult Day: Patient is registered Medical records retrieved All necessary forms signed Videoconference connects Fifteen minute interval for triage by the

nurse

The Telehealth ProcessThen the consultation begins with

physician discussing your treatment planMedication and follow up test and

proceduresSchedule follow up exam as needed

The Telehealth Process

The Telehealth Process

Suitability and Safety You are responsible for your health care

at home Telehealth’ s unique system assist you by

using technologies to improve your health and safety

It also address the issue of providing quality health care in inaccessible areas because of cost or geographic location

Not all consultations are suitable for telehealth

Only when there are barriers to face to face contact

Suitability and Safety Telehealth can improve compliance and

adherence to treatment plan It provides greater access It increases productivity of nurses – no

more delays in health care especially in rural areas

Technologies to be Used There are many different technologies

used in telehealth including:Telephones videophones videoconferencing systems specialized telemedicine workstations personal computers store and forwarding systems

Technologies to be Used

Technologies to be Used

Security and Privacy Privacy and patient confidentiality should

be maintained and respected at all times Privacy requirements are the same as

face to face consultation the health care provider should make use

of secure infrastructure and encryption

Legal Considerations There are three general categories of legal

issues associated with telehealth:1. Traditional medico – legal issues2. Conflicts with State Laws3. Issues unique to telehealth

Legal Considerations Licensure: Is the health care provider licensed?

Ensures that the facility meets quality standards

Accreditation:Ensures that medical staff are competent

in their practice areas

Legal Considerations Malpractice Liability: The facility owes you a duty to prevent

harm negligently Reimbursement: for the most part telehealth services are

not reimbursed by government insurance agencies

However granted in special cases, if medical necessity can be demonstrated

ICT Requirement and Cost The cost of using telehealth services would

depend on: Location Services provided The individual service provider

However it has been shown that the overall cost is much less than traditional in hospital consults

ICT Requirement and Cost Technical requirement for the routine

telehealth exchange are:Simple messaging/ monitoring devices VideotelemonitorsVideophones All telehealth users need to be educated

about the systems and trained how to use them properly to avoid fustration

ClosingYour medical telehealth team is committed

to providing you with the best care as close to home as possible

The choice is yours, telehealth has the capacity to improve your health while also lowering expense