In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications for Health Care. In that report, the IOM Committee on Evaluating Clinical Applications of Telemedicine found telemedicine is similar in most respects to other technologies for which better evidence of effectiveness is also being demanded. Telemedicine, however, has some special characteristics-shared with information technologies generally-that warrant particular notice from evaluators and decision makers. Since that time, attention to telehealth has continued to grow in both the public and private sectors. Peer-reviewed journals and professional societies are devoted to telehealth, the federal government provides grant funding to promote the use of telehealth, and the private technology industry continues to develop new applications for telehealth. However, barriers remain to the use of telehealth modalities, including issues related to reimbursement, licensure, workforce, and costs. Also, some areas of telehealth have developed a stronger evidence base than others. The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) sponsored the IOM in holding a workshop in Washington, DC, on August 8-9 2012, to examine how the use of telehealth technology can fit into the U.S. health care system. HRSA asked the IOM to focus on the potential for telehealth to serve geographically isolated individuals and extend the reach of scarce resources while also emphasizing the quality and value in the delivery of health care services. This workshop summary discusses the evolution of telehealth since 1996, including the increasing role of the private sector, policies that have promoted or delayed the use of telehealth, and consumer acceptance of telehealth. The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment: Workshop Summary discusses the current evidence base for telehealth, including available data and gaps in data; discuss how technological developments, including mobile telehealth, electronic intensive care units, remote monitoring, social networking, and wearable devices, in conjunction with the push for electronic health records, is changing the delivery of health care in rural and urban environments. This report also summarizes actions that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can undertake to further the use of telehealth to improve health care outcomes while controlling costs in the current health care environment.

The second edition of this introductory guide to telemedicine and telecare services will be an invaluable guide to students and new practitioners in this growing and developing field of medicine. In rural and sparsely populated countries, telemedicine can be a vital and life-saving link in health care. In those countries where demands on hospitals is ever growing, telecare can provide a safe and comfortable alternative to hospital based therapy. This updated book will help you to assess the need for a service and how it can be implemented.

The first complete guide to the rapidly expanding field of telehealth From email to videoconferencing, telehealth puts real-time healthcare solutions at patients’ and clinicians’ fingertips. Every year, the field continues to evolve, enhancing access to healthcare, supporting clinicians, and improving the patient experience. However, since telehealth is in its infancy, no text has offered a comprehensive, definitive survey of this up-and-coming field—until now. Written by past presidents of the American Telemedicine Association, Understanding Telehealth explains how clinical applications leveraging telehealth technology are optimizing healthcare delivery. In addition, this timely resource examines the bedrock principles of telehealth and highlights the safety standards involved in the diagnosis and treatment of patients through digital communications. Logically organized and supported by high-yield clinical vignettes, the book begins with essential background information, including a look at telehealth history, definitions and roles, and rural health. It then provides an overview of clinical services for adults, from telestroke to telepsychiatry. The third section addresses pediatric clinical services, encompassing pediatric emergency and critical care, telecardiology, and more. A groundbreaking resource: •Chapters cover a broad spectrum of technologies, evidence-based guidelines, and application of telehealth across the healthcare continuum •Ideal for medical staff, public healthcare executives, hospitals, clinics, payors, healthcare advocates, and researchers alike •Incisive coverage of the legal and regulatory environment underpinning telehealth practice

Relates To The Emerging Field Of Telemedicine-Pleads For Government And Private Organizations To Establishment Facilities For Utilizing Its Application In Their Clinical Practice. Helpful For Physicians And Surgeons In Understanding The Basic Concept Of Telemedicine Technology And Its Application.

Fundamentals of Telemedicine and Telehealth provides an overview on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to solve health problems, especially for people living in remote and underserviced areas. With the advent of new technologies and improvement of internet connectivity, telehealth has become a new subject requiring a new understanding of IT devices and how to utilize them to fulfill health needs. The book discusses topics such as digitizing patient information, technology requirements, existing resources, planning for telehealth projects, and primary care and specialized applications. Additionally, it discusses the use of telemedicine for patient empowerment and telecare in remote locations. Authored by IMIA Telehealth working group, this book is a valuable source for graduate students, healthcare workers, researchers and clinicians interested in using telehealth as part of their practice or research. Presents components of healthcare that can be benefitted from remote access and when to rely on them Explains the current technologies and tools and how to put them to effective use in daily healthcare Provides legal provisions for telehealth implementation, discussing the risks of remote healthcare provision and cross border care

In rural and sparsely populated countries, telemedicine can be a vital and life-saving link to health care, and in those regions where demands on hospitals are ever increasing, it can provide a safe and comfortable alternative to hospital-based therapy. The second edition of this introductory guide to telemedicine and telecare services is invaluable to new practitioners in this growing field of medicine. The book describes the benefits of telemedicine and highlights the potential problems. The authors provide numerous examples of how telemedicine is used in the United States, Australia, and Scandinavia.

This book provides an overview of key issues with regards to implementing telemedicine services as well as an in depth overview of telemedicine in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. Topics range from specific practices to program development. Telemedicine has experienced explosive growth in recent years and yet, implementing telemedicine solutions is complex with substantial regulatory, legal, financial, logistical, and intra-organization/intra-personal barriers that must be overcome. This book provides the necessary information and guidance to address those complex issues. This book is broadly divided into two parts 1) a primer on requisite steps before embarking on telemedicine service development and 2) specific applications and examples where telemedicine is successfully utilized to improve quality of care in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. The first part includes coverage of telemedicine and finance, regulatory and legal issues, and program development. The second part delves into specifics with information on ambulatory telemedicine programs, inpatient consultations, and tele-ICU programs. All chapters are written by interprofessional authors that are leaders in the field of telemedicine with extensive knowledge of diverse telemedicine programs and robust real-world experience on the topic. This is an ideal guide for telehealth program managers, and pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine professionals interested in improving their telehealth practice.