Although virtual health is a subject that has been discussed over the last 10 to 15 years as the next major influence in the delivery of care, there has so far been minimal uptake in its adoption. The current COVID-19 pandemic is now pushing against the structural barriers that previously slowed investment in integrated virtual health applications by healthcare systems. We discussed this matter further with several global health experts.
What do “telehealth” and “telemedicine” mean and in which areas are they most used?
“Telehealth is the set of technologies, networks and care services based on telecommunications and includes education programs, collaborative research, consultation and other services offered in order to improve patient health. Some areas where it is also used are teleconsultation and remote monitoring. Teleassistance is a procedure undertaken from a distance by a doctor when he assists another doctor or other health professional who is performing a medical or surgical procedure. Telemedicine is the medicine practiced remotely using information and communication technologies. It includes medical practices permitted or facilitated by telecommunications. It’s the exercise of medicine through telecommunications and technologies that enables remote health benefits and the exchange of related medical information.”
“Telehealth is defined as the delivery of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies such as phone and video conferencing. It allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, monitoring, and remote admissions. Telemedicine is sometimes used interchangeably with Telehealth. But in most cases, it is used to describe only clinical services, such as diagnosis and monitoring. Using Telehealth, patients can consult their doctors remotely without the need to go the medical center, clinicians can educate their patients and can consult with other remote clinicians. Many other services can be done such as: monitoring the vital signs, breath rate, pulse rate, ECG and blood pressure. Telehealth technology enables the remote diagnoses and evaluation of patients in addition to the ability to remote detection of fluctuations in the medical condition of the patient at home so that the medications or the specific therapy can be altered accordingly. It also allows for e-prescribe medications and remotely prescribed treatments. Telehealth and Telemedicine (and Telecare) encompass the virtual health space.”
“Telemedicine is mostly used within a specialized health training and mainly for the exchange of information and experience in areas such as oncology, kidney failure and heart disease.”
How can virtual healthcare make a difference in developing countries?
“Virtual health care can make a difference in developing countries due to high performance technology with staff well trained in the use of these devices. It also means contact with patients can be avoided, especially during pandemics of the COVID-19 kind.”
“The quick and aggressive spread of COVID19 pandemic around the world showed the weaknesses of all healthcare systems in all countries whether developed, developing or non-developed ones. The safety of the clinicians (and patients) in many cases have been compromised. Many clinicians, politicians and patients showed big focus on the necessity to provide virtual health services rather than requesting the patients to show up in the hospitals and medical centers to get treatment. Clinicians started requesting the patients not to come to the hospitals, but rather call to talk to a clinician to evaluate the case and instruct the patient what to do. Clinicians found out that practicing virtual health will not only protect the clinicians and patients, but it will also save the times of the clinicians and the hospitals and save money for all.”
What is the potential of telemedicine on global health?
“The potential of telemedicine for global health is the development of new communication techniques which have an impact on the future and an impact on the diagnosis and real-time management of pathologies.”
“Virtual health can be a solution to many problems that many health care systems in developing countries suffer from, such as the lack of the number of doctors, and the lack of roads, transport, infrastructure, nearby health care clinics especially in rural areas. Virtual health care will leverage the quality of healthcare and increase the number of people that benefit from it.”
“The potential is to focus on coverage, not on quality so I am hopeful that a team of super experts is created to undertake on the ground follow ups to measure and assess its quality and, impact. Someone has to do this and I hope that the international development community assembles a solid professional team to do it in order for the programs to have credibility and to provide stakeholders with feedback and recommendations.”
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