Telehealth’s convenience and value were highlighted when fears about the coronavirus pandemic prompted individuals to look for a way to get medical advice without having to go to a doctor’s office.
Telehealth is the practice of using computers, tablets and smartphones to provide health care and services at a distance. Telemedicine refers specifically to the practice of using technology to deliver care from one location to a patient at a distant site.
More and more group insurance plans feature telehealth services as part of their benefits. One reason is that a telehealth visit is less expensive for a plan than a visit to a provider’s office. For instance, a study published in JAMA Dermatology showed that on average a telehealth visit costs about $79, compared with about $146 for an office visit.
The federal government has recently jumped on the telemedicine bandwagon. The Trump administration announced a major expansion of telehealth options, including allowing Americans enrolled in Medicare to talk to a doctor by phone or video chat for no additional cost.
In addition, when the COVID-19 outbreak threatened to stress hospital capacities, the House of Representatives included in its $8.3 billion emergency response bill a provision to assist efforts to contain the virus by temporarily lifting restrictions on Medicare telehealth coverage. The bill waives and modifies certain requirements for telehealth services during the pandemic, allowing Medicare to offer telemedicine beyond just rural areas.
At the beginning of the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic, certain states, such as Massachusetts and Florida, have expanded telehealth coverage to make it easier for doctors and patients to connect online and to ensure that physicians get paid. Some states, like Washington, are acting to permit doctors to treat patients even if they’re not licensed in the state as long as they can legally practice in another state.
Telehealth gives patients around the clock access to care and enables providers to treat more patients than in office settings. Telehealth providers can ask questions, prescribe medications or if needed refer patients to get treatment at a doctor’s office, urgent care or emergency room.
The most obvious benefit of talking to a doctor online or by phone, especially during the pandemic, is that the visit can take place without exposing the patient, the doctor or others in the office or waiting room to any kind of contagion. Not only could others be put at risk, but in the case of health care workers during the pandemic, they could be put out of commission for 14 days of quarantine.
Also, keeping patients who have contracted the virus or any disease at home allows health care workers to provide care at a distance, reserving hospitals for higher need patients.
Regulations vary from state to state and there is a lack of clarity about what is allowed, often making it difficult for physicians to get accredited to use telehealth solutions across state borders.
While some states have loosened accreditation requirements, necessitated by the spike in demand for health care during coronavirus pandemic, many telehealth providers are having a hard time keeping up with demand.
There’s also a concern that physical exams provided by phone or computer are not as accurate as those that are done in person.
Issues also exist about personal medical data security and its potential to be used for data mining or to create targeted advertising.
Before telehealth can become a truly valuable resource these issues will need to be addressed.
Ufafanuzi na thamani ya telehealth ilionyeshwa wakati hofu kuhusu janga la coronavirus iliwachochea watu kutafuta njia ya kupata ushauri wa matibabu bila kwenda ofisini kwa daktari. Telehealth ni mazoezi ya kutumia kompyuta, vidonge na simu mahiri kutoa huduma za afya na huduma kwa umbali. Telemedicine ni mbinu ya kutumia teknolojia ya kiufundi ili kutoa huduma kutoka eneo moja kwa mgonjwa katika eneo la mbali. Mipango zaidi na zaidi ya bima ya kikundi ina huduma za afya ya mbali kama sehemu ya faida zao. Sababu moja ni kwamba ziara ya telehealth ni ya bei nafuu kwa mpango kuliko ziara ya ofisi ya mtoa huduma. Kwa mfano, utafiti uliochapishwa katika jarida la JAMA Dermatology ulionyesha kwamba kwa wastani, matibabu ya televisheni yanagharimu dola 79 (zaidi ya dola 146 za Marekani) ikilinganishwa na matibabu ya ofisini. Hivi majuzi serikali ya shirikisho imejiunga na mradi wa tiba ya mbali. Serikali ya Trump imetoa mpango wa kupanua huduma za afya za simu, ikiwa ni pamoja na kuruhusu Wamarekani waliojiandikisha katika Medicare kuzungumza na daktari kwa simu au mazungumzo ya video bila gharama ya ziada. Wakati janga la COVID-19 lilipotishia kusababisha shida katika uwezo wa hospitali, Baraza la Wawakilishi liliingiza katika muswada wake wa dharura wa $ 8.3 bilioni utoaji wa kusaidia juhudi za kuzuia virusi kwa kuondoa kwa muda vizuizi juu ya chanjo ya afya ya mbali ya Medicare. Sheria hiyo inatoa na kurekebisha mahitaji fulani kwa huduma za afya ya mbali wakati wa janga hilo, ikiruhusu Medicare kutoa huduma za afya ya mbali zaidi ya maeneo ya vijijini. Wakati wa janga la COVID-19, majimbo kadhaa kama vile Massachusetts na Florida yalipanua chanjo ya telehealth ili kuwezesha madaktari na wagonjwa kuungana mtandaoni na kuhakikisha madaktari wanalipwa. Baadhi ya majimbo, kama Washington, ni kutenda kuruhusu madaktari kutibu wagonjwa hata kama wao si leseni katika hali kama muda mrefu kama wanaweza kisheria mazoezi katika hali nyingine. Telehealth inatoa wagonjwa karibu saa upatikanaji wa huduma na inawezesha watoa kutibu wagonjwa zaidi kuliko katika mazingira ya ofisi. Watoa huduma za afya za mbali wanaweza kuuliza maswali, kuagiza dawa au ikiwa inahitajika kuelekeza wagonjwa kupata matibabu katika ofisi ya daktari, huduma ya dharura au chumba cha dharura. Faida ya wazi ya kuzungumza na daktari mtandaoni au kwa simu, haswa wakati wa janga, ni kwamba ziara inaweza kufanyika bila kumficha mgonjwa, daktari au wengine katika ofisi au chumba cha kusubiri kwa aina yoyote ya maambukizi. "Hata hivyo, hakuna mtu yeyote anayehusika katika tukio hilo, na hata wafanyakazi wa huduma za afya wanaweza kuondolewa kwa siku 14 za karantini.""" Pia, kuwaweka wagonjwa ambao wamepatwa na virusi au ugonjwa wowote nyumbani huwawezesha wafanyikazi wa huduma za afya kutoa huduma kwa umbali, na kuweka hospitali kwa wagonjwa wanaohitaji zaidi. Sheria hutofautiana kutoka jimbo hadi jimbo na kuna ukosefu wa uwazi juu ya kile kinachoruhusiwa, mara nyingi ikifanya iwe vigumu kwa madaktari kupata kibali cha kutumia suluhisho la telehealth katika mipaka ya jimbo. Wakati baadhi ya majimbo yamepunguza mahitaji ya kibali, yakihitajika na kuongezeka kwa mahitaji ya huduma za afya wakati wa janga la coronavirus, watoa huduma nyingi za afya za mbali wana wakati mgumu wa kushikilia mahitaji. Pia kuna wasiwasi kwamba vipimo vya kimwili vinavyotolewa kwa simu au kompyuta si sahihi kama vile vinavyofanywa kibinafsi. Pia kuna masuala kuhusu usalama wa data ya kibinafsi ya matibabu na uwezo wake wa kutumiwa kwa uchimbaji wa data au kuunda matangazo yaliyolenga. Kabla ya telehealth inaweza kuwa rasilimali yenye thamani kweli masuala haya itahitaji kushughulikiwa.