Telemedicine entails the use of telecommunication technology to offer health care services to people far away from a health facility (Rosenberg, 2016). Although telemedicine is often termed as a technology that has the ability to assist in improving access to healthcare services, there is a major challenge when it comes to the required infrastructure. This paper will focus on poor broadband penetration in rural areas and its impact on the use of telemedicine, impact of telemedicine on healthcare practice and how informatics knowledge and skills are applied in this assignment.
Despite the fact that telemedicine has the ability to overcome geographical barriers that come from having to travel for long distances to get health care services, its potential cannot be fully realized when the required infrastructure is not available (Landi, 2019). It is until when infrastructure is improved and insurers establish and enlarge policies and plans to reimburse visits from clients’ palaces of residence especially in the most rural areas.
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Through telephone calls, video chats and mobile applications. Nurses are able to take care of their patients without the patients having to travel for long distances in order to receive health care services. Besides that, telemedicine also gives a way for nurses to consult with one another on various aspects such as diagnosis and treatment where they are without having to leave their designated location (Landi, 2019).
Rationale
The topic was chosen because in most cases it is assumed that owning a smartphone is just adequate for telemedicine. However, it is forgotten that some insurers such as Medicare need most of the telemedicine services to come from a rural healthcare center hence broadband access at such healthcare facilities stays relevant. Telemedicine is proposed as a means of promoting access to healthcare services where care provision is not adequate (Drake et al., 2019). However, the technology can only work and be efficient in cases where both the nurse and patient have adequate access to internet.
Telemedicine has been in existence for many years in one way or the other. However, the major advancements in technology that the globe has encountered in the last two decades has made telemedicine take a position in the area of health care services delivery (Landi, 2019). A small number of nurses practice in rural areas where approximately 25% of the American population resides (Landi, 2019). There are a number of ongoing initiatives that apply telemedicine in an effort to improve access to health care for the people living in the rural areas. Such projects include ECHO.
Although policy makers both at the state and federal levels have implemented policies that are aimed at expanding the use of telemedicine in both public and commercial insured individuals, it is evident that citizens with the poorest access to health care do not have the required broadband internet connectivity to optimally benefit from the use of telemedicine (Drake et al., 2019).
Telemedicine Impact
Telemedicine is a fast growing area in the health care industry and it gives a lot of promise in handling the different challenges that are faced by both patients and health care personnel (Andrews, 2014). The technology offers a number of benefits which include easy access to healthcare. The original aim of telemedicine is to provide health care services to clients in rural counties and give a solution to challenges which include shortage of healthcare personnel and health care centers. In addition, the small health care facilities in rural areas are able to offer intensive health care services while assisted by specialists in other hospitals.
Using telemedicine can also help reach patients in the urban areas who lead busy lives and are not willing to waste their time going to the hospital or queuing at the hospital (Andrews, 2014). In addition, homebound patients can also benefit from the use of telemedicine because they are able to share with their nurses’ real time and important parameters and information such as blood pressure.
The technology has the potential to minimize health care costs too. Telemedicine assists patients, health care providers and insurers minimize expenditure and save some money. Hospital visits that are not necessary, not urgent or simple problems related to health such as colds can be dealt with by using telemedicine and this in turn assists people save money on transport and other costs incurred during in-person hospital visits (Rosenberg, 2016). Furthermore, expensive in-person hospital visits can be minimized in a great way for individuals suffering from chronic illnesses. This is done by carrying out remote analysis and patient monitoring services.
It is evident that telemedicine improves access to nursing care. Information from the National Rural Health Association in the United States shows that only thirty specialists are available to cover a population of 100,000 individuals in remote areas. Sick people in rural areas have to travel for long distances in order to see a specialist. However, with telemedicine, patients are able to access specialists without having to travel for longer distances thus helps in overcoming geographic limits.
Telemedicine is also attributed to better health outcomes and improved health care quality. The care given through telemedicine is patient centered because it offers quality care to clients when and where they require it. Health related issues can be addressed in a quick manner by conducting real-time consultations in a couple of minutes. As a result, timely diagnosis and treatment of the diagnosed condition on time leads to improved outcomes and reduced expenditure (Rosenberg, 2016).
Telemedicine has also promoted patient engagement. People are increasingly becoming tech-savvy and more knowledgeable about their health as a result of telemedicine. The technology is able to promote patient engagement by assisting in retaining appointments meant for care and check-ups (Rosenberg, 2016). Furthermore, virtual consultations make it easy for clients to access nurses, report to them any presentation of early warning signs or other medical issues and have them addressed.
Although there are a number of challenges facing the implementation of telemedicine which include a lack of laws that are consistent, privacy rules etc. the technology still remains a positive and quickly growing healthcare delivery trend. Internet access is important in telemedicine use. According to the study conducted by several researchers from Universities of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and John Hopkins, broadband penetration levels reduced as areas became more rural/remote and those areas with inadequate reach to physicians had low broadband penetration levels (Landi, 2019). This is different from broadband penetration levels in urban areas where the researchers found to be 96%.
Although telemedicine may be offered through personal phones, some insurers such as Medicare need most of the telemedicine appointments come from a rural healthcare center. Therefore, access to broadband at such health facilities is very important and stays relevant. As a result, individuals living in such areas lack access to telemedicine services delivered by insurers such as Medicare due to poor internet connectivity at health care facilities. Therefore, the benefits of telemedicine are not enjoyed in such areas. As a result, the health care system in the affected areas does not improve and patient outcomes reduce. This is because patients may not have timely diagnosis and treatment as they have to travel over long distances to receive health care services.
In addition, health care costs are high because of the expenses incurred in in-person visits and travel to the health care facilities. Furthermore, patients are not able to have adequate access to specialists because there are few specialists in remote areas. Moreover, nurses in these areas are not able to consult with other nurses on various issues regarding patient care because of poor internet connectivity (Landi, 2019).
Telemedicine is proposed as a means of promoting access to healthcare in areas where healthcare providers including nurses are inadequate. However, this can only be made possible if both the nurses and patients have access to internet connectivity. Despite the fact that telemedicine has the ability to address geographical limits that are caused by long drives to health care facilities, the technology’s ability cannot be achieved if telecommunications infrastructure is not improved.
Application of informatics skills and knowledge
In developing this assignment, the importance of nursing informatics in improving health care practice has been recognized throughout. In addition, the fact that computers are there to only facilitate health care and that human roles cannot be carried out by computers and technology has been put into consideration. Development of ethical decisions, recognizing that participation of clinicians in designing, choosing, implementing and evaluating of technology in health care delivery are roles that the physician/nurse has to conduct. In addition, the assignment has been developed with the knowledge that telemedicine just like other patient monitoring technologies has its own limitations and its impact on the roles of a nurse.
The developed and acquired informatics skills have been applied in this assignment. They include research and ability to interpret the flow of information in the health care delivery system. In addition, it also includes application of analytic and innovative methods in conducting scientific inquiries in nursing informatics, research methods with the intention of identifying the effects technology and in this case telemedicine on nursing practice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, telemedicine offers hope in delivering healthcare to all. The technology is capable of significantly improving health care delivery in remote and rural areas as well as urban counties. Therefore, effective efforts to increase access to health care in remote and rural areas need a comprehensive technique that incorporates increased efficient application of telemedicine, policy changes and support to nurses in remote areas (Drake et al., 2019).
References
Drake, C., Zhang, Y., Chaiyachati, K. H., & Polsky, D. (2019). The Limitations of Poor Broadband Internet Access for Telemedicine Use in Rural America: An Observational Study. Annals of Internal Medicine . Doi: 10.7326/m19-0283
Rosenberg, K. (2016). Telemedicine Seen as a Boon to Critical Care Nursing. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 116 (5), 61. doi:10.1097/01.naj.0000482970.77413.70
Andrews, V. (2014). Using telemedicine in clinical decision-making. Practice Nursing, 25 (1), 42-46. doi:10.12968/pnur.2014.25.1.42
Landi, H. (2019, May 21). Poor broadband access in rural areas limits telemedicine use: Study. Retrieved from https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/poor-broadband-access-rural-areas-limits-telemedicine-use-study
