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.
A number of factors appear to be driving this change. The huge advancement in telecommunication is one of them. Patients and healthcare professionals now find it a lot easier to communicate. The second, is the development of drugs that require little monitoring thus can be easily administered at home.
The adoption of this technology has been especially welcome in the management of various chronic medical conditions and disease. Such include, for example, hypertension, chronic renal failure, diabetes and asthma. In the past, patients with these conditions have had to make regular visits to their physicians for monitoring progress. This is not only expensive but is also quite tedious a process. The system is now making it easy for physicians to do remote monitoring and make adjustments on treatment whenever needed.
Doctors often have to consult with each other in the course of discharging their duties. Teleconferencing allows them to deliberate on certain challenging cases as a team even when they are not in the same geographical location. The history and physical findings can be shared among several experts and a solution can be reached faster than waiting for everyone to be in direct contact with the patient.
Registered nurses have also taken advantage of this technological advancement and are now engaging in what is known as telenursing. This is a system of nursing where a registered nurse provides their services without being physically present. This system has been quite helpful for patients with chronic conditions in remote locations who for one reason or another are living alone. It is a cheaper option as compared to the traditional form of home based care.
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 devices in serving patients is on the rise. The initial resistance appears to be wearing off and many more patients and professionals are getting on board. The future of medicine is going to be so dependent on technology such that many services will be obtained just by the touch of a button. Surgical intervention may be the only exception to this.
A number of factors appear to be driving this change. The huge advancement in telecommunication is one of them. Patients and healthcare professionals now find it a lot easier to communicate. The second, is the development of drugs that require little monitoring thus can be easily administered at home.
The adoption of this technology has been especially welcome in the management of various chronic medical conditions and disease. Such include, for example, hypertension, chronic renal failure, diabetes and asthma. In the past, patients with these conditions have had to make regular visits to their physicians for monitoring progress. This is not only expensive but is also quite tedious a process. The system is now making it easy for physicians to do remote monitoring and make adjustments on treatment whenever needed.
Doctors often have to consult with each other in the course of discharging their duties. Teleconferencing allows them to deliberate on certain challenging cases as a team even when they are not in the same geographical location. The history and physical findings can be shared among several experts and a solution can be reached faster than waiting for everyone to be in direct contact with the patient.
Registered nurses have also taken advantage of this technological advancement and are now engaging in what is known as telenursing. This is a system of nursing where a registered nurse provides their services without being physically present. This system has been quite helpful for patients with chronic conditions in remote locations who for one reason or another are living alone. It is a cheaper option as compared to the traditional form of home based care.
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 devices in serving patients is on the rise. The initial resistance appears to be wearing off and many more patients and professionals are getting on board. The future of medicine is going to be so dependent on technology such that many services will be obtained just by the touch of a button. Surgical intervention may be the only exception to this.
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