Patient Consultation & Reviews – Telehealth

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Critical Review
Conclusion
Reference List

Introduction

Primarily, one should remark that this paper is aimed at an extensive, comprehensive, and thorough analysis and assessment of the topic of patient consultation & reviews within the framework of telehealth. It is known that telehealth as a healthcare tool is the most popular, practical, and high-quality approach to providing medical services by specialists to patients through modern innovations, revolutionary solutions, as well as information and communication technologies (Monaghesh and Hajizadeh, 2020, p. 2). It is one of the subsets of e-health, which mean a consultation, communication, and exchange of information between people by phone, video chat, email, Internet, and other devices and programs (Gajarawala and Pelkowski, 2021, p. 218). Moreover, it is imperative to note that this tool is essential and significant because it plays a unique role in treating and minimizing the spread of various infections (Blandford et al., 2020, p. 1). Hence, telehealth is among the most effective, productive, and compelling, widely used medical instruments.

The Critical Review

Analysis of the Selected Tool

The student thinks telehealth is one of the modern, reliable and inexpensive tools in the work of an experienced nurse. It allows for effective and efficient interaction with colleagues, patients and their families, as well as other stakeholders in healthcare. Therefore, the choice of this type of treatment by the author of this paper is based on positive evidence and favourable results of the work.

However, before proceeding to constructive criticism and serious analysis of the instrument, it is necessary to demonstrate its fundamental essence and nature in practice. Thus, telehealth is a consultation with a medical expert via social messengers, telephone, or video conferences (What is telemedicine?, no date, para. 47). Admittedly, the latter option is the most helpful approach to communication (Haleem et al., 2021, p. 2). In this case, a healthcare expert sees patients, visually examines their condition and relies on the observations, not just a person’s words (Hayman, 2020, p. 1418). Furthermore, a nurse can use “remote medicine” not only in a “nurse-patient” combination but also in a “nurse–colleague” variety. Hence, the staff shares their experience, and medical connoisseurs consult with each other on controversial issues (Telemedicine: what it is and how to use it, 2018, para. 2). The use of the appropriate tool has increased dramatically in recent years (Lurie and Carr, 2018, p. 745). Moreover, it is evident that this trend will continue gaining momentum.

It is no secret that this technology is used in various directions. For instance, it is used when it is impossible to transport a patient to a hospital, and a video call will help save an individual’s life (Haleem et al., 2021, p.1). In general, telehealth is most popular in the field of psychotherapy. Psychologists and psychotherapists have long mastered this technology and conducted online consultations several thousand kilometres away from a patient (Sampaio et al., 2021, p. 3). In addition, this instrument has become a viable alternative in the treatment of various diseases of the musculoskeletal system (Cottrell and Russell, 2020, p. 1). Moreover, it is operated in oncology to get another specialist’s opinion without going to them in another city or abroad (Zon et al., 2021, p. 546). Thus, telehealth is a broad concept covering many elements in the healthcare system.

Excluding certain isolated cases and nuances, telehealth as a tool in the practice of a nurse was able to prove itself from the best side. For example, this approach was intensively used during the bright outbreak and active spread of COVID-19 (Thomas et al., 2022, p. 301). Therefore, its help has primarily helped mitigate the global problem (Doraiswamy et al., 2020, p. 11). Telehealth programs have overcome physical barriers, especially amid lockdowns and physical distancing measures (Wosik et al., 2020, p. 957). From now on, many medical professionals have the opportunity to improve and expand their competencies, and consumers can get support from a wide range of specialists without leaving home. (Thomas et al., 2022, p. 301). It is unlikely that many lives would have been saved if not for this technology. According to the experts, telemedicine can reveal its true potential in planning exceptional adverse cases and responding to them (Koonin et al., p. 1598). The availability and promotion of “remote medicine” services are crucial in realizing access to medical care during emergencies.

In particular, telehealth is an economical, affordable and effective tool. It expands the geographical range of services and reduces health care costs by consolidating some concerns (Gajarawala and Pelkowski, 2021, p. 218). Specialists provide their clients with high-quality and competent medical care. The tool allows one to decrease expenses regarding specific procedures or when trips funded by the healthcare system are prevented (Snoswell et al., 2020, p. 1). Consequently, when used properly, telehealth increases accessibility, expands capabilities, and improves quality through monitoring, patient interaction, and greater convenience and access (Galpin et al., 2021, p. 823). Moreover, convenience, time-saving, safety and efficiency are one of the main advantages of telehealth as a tool.

Usually, when visiting a medical institution, a patient has to spend a lot of time on the road and then wait in the corridors of a clinic. Telehealth avoids unnecessary risks, providing a comfortable examination of patients right at home, bypassing the likelihood of catching a disease or virus during a visit to any medical institution (Jnr, 2020, p. 4). Unfortunately, the situation when there is no medic of the necessary qualifications in a small settlement is typical, and a patient may need urgent consultation. In such circumstances, telemedicine acts as a reliable way for prompt diagnosis.

When implementing telehealth, one should never forget that it is an indispensable solution for consultations and initial patient examinations. Still, it cannot replace a full-fledged appointment with a specialist. One will still have to visit a hospital to pass tests or undergo the necessary diagnostics for correct treatment. Nevertheless, telehealth can become an essential tool for hundreds of doctors and nurses working in remote localities who can consult with more experienced colleagues due to video communication.

Critical Evaluation of the Device

It should be emphasized that the device is recommended to be evaluated using unique methods, tactics, and strategies like the Model for Assessment of Telemedicine (MAST) and receiving feedback procedures. The researchers claim that MAST is a reasonably well-developed evaluation system that allows one to accurately and objectively identify the quality and availability of medical care, as well as the productivity of an organization and experts (Krick et al., 2020, p. 2). In addition, various questionnaires, surveys, conversations, and other ways to get feedback are among the best ways to evaluate some aspects of the procedure for using and applying telehealth in practice (Hajesmaeel-Gohari and Bahaadinbeigy, 2021, p.1). Consequently, the student would be more likely to use these approaches.

Based on the student’s opinion regarding the evaluation of the technology, it must be added that telehealth is an excellent possibility for providing good medical care at a distance. Receiving messages and comments from patients through phone calls and communication via e-mail demonstrates a positive degree of satisfaction with telehealth (Yu et al., p. 1). Without a doubt, this tool is not without drawbacks like any procedure for interaction with a patient (Watson, 2020, para. 10-13). It has developed markedly over the past decade. However, many factors still make remote meetings with a doctor impossible to replace visits to a clinic, especially if one is talking about the elderly (Robeznieks, 2020, para. 1-6). Nevertheless, telehealth has proven its importance, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, and it is not easy to do without this method, given the progress made by humanity (Omboni et al., 2022, p. 7). For example, today’s technology allows combining some health apps and video chat with a healthcare specialist (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022, para. 3). All this together will enable an individual to collect medical data for diagnosis and visiting professionals live in some cases is not required.

Conclusion

Summarizing the facts and details mentioned above, it is necessary to state that telehealth as a tool actively used in nursing practice is one of the most effective and efficient, taking into account modern trends and technologies in the healthcare systems. This method allows one to communicate with patients or medical service providers in a remote format, permitting one to give or receive high-quality medical care while saving time, money and other resources. As practice shows, especially in a vivid form, telehealth manifests itself in emergency situations such as a COVID-19 pandemic, when even a simple call or video conference can save a person’s life. However, it should be remembered that this instrument is not a full-fledged replacement for live meetings and consultations, but it can be an excellent assistant in some cases. Additionally, it should be noted that the quality of services provided through telehealth is best studied using techniques such as MAST and various receiving feedback procedures. At least these approaches will provide the most reliable, objective and trustworthy information about the degree of satisfaction with telehealth by patients or medics.

Reference List

Blandford, A. et al. (2020) ‘Opportunities and challenges for telehealth within, and beyond, a pandemic’, The Lancet Global Health, 8(11), 1-2. Web.

Cottrell, M. A. and Russell, T. G. (2020) ‘Telehealth for musculoskeletal physiotherapy’, Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 48, 1-6. Web.

Doraiswamy, S. et al. (2020). ‘Use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic: scoping review’, Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(12), 1-15. Web.

Galpin, K. et al. (2021) ‘Expert consensus: Telehealth skills for health care professionals’, Telemedicine and e-Health, 27(7), 820-824. Web.

Gajarawala, S. N. and Pelkowski, J. N. (2021) ‘Telehealth benefits and barriers’, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(2), 218-221. Web.

Hajesmaeel-Gohari, S. and Bahaadinbeigy, K. (2021) ‘The most used questionnaires for evaluating telemedicine services’, BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 21(1), 1-11. Web.

Haleem, A. et al. (2021) ‘Telemedicine for healthcare: capabilities, features, barriers, and applications’, Sensors International, 2, 1-12. Web.

Hayman, P. (2020) ‘The disappearance of the primary care physical examination—losing touch’, JAMA Intern Med., 180(11), 1417-1418. Web.

Jnr, B. A. (2020) ‘Use of telemedicine and virtual care for remote treatment in response to COVID-19 pandemic’, Journal of Medical Systems, 44(132), 1-9. Web.

Krick, T. et al. (2020) ‘Measuring the effectiveness of digital nursing technologies: development of a comprehensive digital nursing technology outcome framework based on a scoping review’, BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 1-17. Web.

Koonin, L. et al. (2020) ‘Trends in the use of telehealth during the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic—United States, January–March 2020’, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(43), 1595-1599. Web.

Lurie, N. and Carr, B. G. (2018) ‘The role of telehealth in the medical response to disasters’, JAMA Internal Medicine, 178(6), 745-746. Web.

Monaghesh, E. and Hajizadeh, A. (2020) ‘The role of telehealth during COVID-19 outbreak: a systematic review based on current evidence’, BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-9. Web.

Mayo Clinic Staff (2022) Telehealth: technology meets health care. Web.

Omboni, S. et al. (2022) ‘The worldwide impact of telemedicine during COVID-19: current evidence and recommendations for the future’, Connected Health, 1, 7-35. Web.

Robeznieks, A. (2020) Why so many patients still can’t connect to doctors via telehealth. Web.

Snoswell, C. L. et al. (2020) ‘Determining if telehealth can reduce health system costs: scoping review’, Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(10), 1-22. Web.

Sampaio, M. et al. (2021) ‘Therapists make the switch to telepsychology to safely continue treating their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual reality telepsychology may be next. Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 1, 1-17. Web.

Thomas, E. E. et al. (2022) ‘Building on the momentum: sustaining telehealth beyond COVID-19’, Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 28(4), 301-308. Web.

Telemedicine: what it is and how to use it (2018) Web.

Watson, S. (2020) Telehealth: the advantages and disadvantages. Web.

What is telemedicine? (no date) Web.

Wosik, J. et al. (2020) ‘Telehealth transformation: COVID-19 and the rise of virtual care’, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(6), 957-962. Web.

Yu, J. et al. (2021) ‘Evaluation and feedback for telehealth from patients and physicians during the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic period’, Cureus, 13(1), 1-7. Web.

Zon, R. T. et al. (2021) ‘Telehealth in oncology: ASCO standards and practice recommendations’, JCO Oncology Practice, 17(9), 546-564. Web.

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