EMR Benefits: Telehealth
Telehealth
Integrating EMRs with telehealth can improve the scope of telehealth and boost its benefits. Some benefits are:
- It can increase the access of healthcare to remote, underserved and rural areas
- It can address the shortage of healthcare providers. Primary care physicians and specialist consultants can serve patients remotely
- It can ensure continuity of care without increasing number of hospital visits.
For example, Texas prison system successfully combined a statewide EMR system with Telemedicine system of UTMB, which resulted in improved healthcare delivery for the inmates as well as huge savings for the state. [1]
Telehealth has become very popular due to the rural patients that can start receiving specialty services at their local communities. Some of the services rural hospitals can provide are trauma, stroke and intensive care. The adoption of Telehealth also supports clinical education programs. It allows easy communication between rural clinicians and specialists. Continuing education will also be easily accessed by rural healthcare providers. [1]
In one paper Telehealthcare showed to improve blood glucose checking by individuals with diabetes and resulted in the study participants to have tighter glycemic control, this may result in more widespread adoption of such technology for diabetes management. [2]
Special Care Access Network - Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (SCAN-ECHO):Through VA’s SCAN-ECHO initiative, Veterans and their primary care team can videoconference to seek expertise advice from specialists within 100-500 miles away. In 2013, SCAN ECHO spread to 46 rural sites of care with more than 100 participating rural primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. [3]
References
- ↑ Benefits of Telehealth / Telemedicine? http://www.setrc.us/index.php/what-is-telehealth/benefits-of-telehealth-telemedicine/
- ↑ Chen, L., Chuang, L.M., Chang, C.H., Wang, C.S., Wang, I.C., Chung, Y., Peng, H.Y., Chen, H.C., Hsu, Y.L., Lin, Y.S., Chen, H.J., Chang, T.C., Jiang, Y.D., Lee, H.C., Tan, C.T., Chang, H.L. & Lai, F. (2013). Evaluating Self-Management Behaviors of Diabetic Patients in a Telehealthcare Program: Longitudinal Study Over 18 Months. Journal of Medical Internet Research; 15(12):e266. http://www.jmir.org/2013/12/e266/
- ↑ http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/resources/publications/IB10185_Health_Care_Overview_2014_Eng_V6_web.pdf
