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Telemedicine: A Digitalized Revolution in Healthcare

Thursday, January 2, 2025

In today’s world of innovation, every field is being reshaped with digitalization, and Healthcare is no exception. A forefront transformation of the modern-era healthcare field is ‘telemedicine’. Medical service providers are using technology to provide medical facilities to patients at their remote locations, healthcare is made more efficient by bridging gaps in accessibility, and the way patients and providers interact is revolutionized. Telemedicine reduces the need for visits to the office in many cases, ultimately offers convenience and saves time for both the patients and healthcare providers.

Introduction of Telemedicine

People who live in rural and remote areas lack access to specialty medical care timely because almost all the specialist physicians are situated in population-concentric locations and it is hard for them to shift to rural locations due to a low number of patients and financial conditions also. Telemedicine is the technology immersed by the use of telecommunications technology that brings healthcare directly to the patient, irrespective of their location. Using video calls, mobile apps, and remote monitoring devices, telemedicine ensures that no patient is left behind, even in the world's most remote corners.

WHO defines telemedicine as "the provision of health services by health professionals, where distance is a critical factor, using information and communication technologies to exchange valid information for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and injury, research and evaluation, and to facilitate the continuing education of health professionals, with the aim of safeguarding the health of individuals and communities”.

 

Image Created By: Microsoft Designer

Telemedicine is a general term that covers all the ways that patients and doctors communicate using technology without being in the same room for non-emergency situations that don’t require an office visit. These can include:

  • Live phone or video chat with healthcare providers

  • Using email or other secure systems to send messages and receive responses

  • Remote monitoring allows doctors to examine patients in a way that doesn't need patient to leave home. For example, a device will capture a patient’s vital signs and send them to the doctor.

History of Telemedicine

After the outbreak of COVID- 19 telemedicine in healthcare came popular but it's not a new stereotype it has been used for numerous times but the use was limited to a slightest extent. The history of telemedicine spans over a century, evolving from simple communication approaches to sophisticated systems that enable remote opinion, treatment, and healthcare monitoring.

1900s: Telecommunication systems like the telephone were used for remote medical discussion, allowing physicians to consult with their peers regarding patient cases.

1905: The telephone was used by Willem Einthoven to transmit heart sounds from the hospital to the laboratory.

1910: A New York cardiologist reports efficient transmission of electrocardiograms (ECGs) from the ward to the ECG room via wires.

1910: A telephone was made by Sidney Brown that made it possible for doctors to accurately diagnose patients by listening sound of a stethoscope that was held by a patient miles away.

1920: Haukeland Hospital in Norway began to use two-way radio communication to connect doctors to ships to provide medical treatment to sailors.

1924: Radio News magazine used the term "radio doctor" and described long-distance communication between patients and doctors via television and microphones.

1959: Two-way video communication was being used for the first time in the field of telemedicine.

1960: NASA, Lockheed and the Indian Health Service have announced a major telecommunications program called Space Technology for Rural Papago Advanced Healthcare (STARPAHC).

1980s: Radiology becomes the first specialty to embrace the utilization of telemedicine.

1993: To promote the development and adoption of telemedicine across the US, the American Telemedicine Association was established.

2010s: Remote healthcare was made more personalized and accessible by new technologies, such as mobile apps, wearable devices, and telehealth software.

2020s: More precise remote diagnosis and consultation were enabled by the use of  Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics enabled more precise remote diagnostics.

This digital shift is not just a convenience—it's a revolutionary transformative step toward a more inclusive, efficient, and patient-centric healthcare model. The continuity of healthcare during crises COVID-19 was maintained by accelerating the adoption of telemedicine technology. In the current scenario, teleconsultation is partially or entirely a part of day to day life of most US healthcare professionals. The pandemic forced these practitioners to provide remote healthcare services due to safety concerns of patients and practitioners themself.

Apollo groups of hospitals was a pioneer in India to start a mega project named as Aragonda project at a secondary-level hospital in Aragonda village situated with a population of 5000, 16 km from Chitoor in Andhra Pradesh. The project was started with simple web cameras and telephone lines, now the village hospital was established with a modern videoconferencing system and the Indian Space Research Organisation’s satellite VSAT.

Applications

Primary Care: Virtual consultations for non-urgent health issues or routine check-ups.

Chronic Disease Management: Monitoring conditions like diabetes or hypertension remotely.

Mental Health Services: Counseling and therapy sessions via video calls or apps called as telepsychiatry.

Pediatrics and Geriatrics: Providing care for vulnerable age groups without the need for travel.

Prenatal and Postnatal Care: Regular check-ups for pregnant women and guidance for new mothers via teleconsultations.

Post-Surgical Care: Virtual follow-ups to ensure recovery progress without frequent hospital visits.

Specialist Consultations: Access to experts for rare or complex conditions. Patients can consult with specialists in cardiology, dermatology, oncology, and more, regardless of location.

Tele-Education: Training healthcare workers in developing nations or during global health crises.

Medication Management: Remote prescription refills and consultations with pharmacists for medication adherence.

Challenges

Technological Barriers: Limited internet access and low digital literacy decrease the adoption, especially in rural areas.

Time Zone Differences: The difference in between the patient and care provider's time zone can make it difficult to coordinate them properly and timely.

Privacy Concerns: It is essential to ensure the security of patient data and compliance with regulations.

Clinical Limitations: Certain medical conditions require in-person examinations or tests that cannot be conducted online.

Data Accuracy: Automated processes can sometimes affect the accuracy of the data transmitted, so physicians should exercise caution and carefully review their data before making any treatment decisions.

Resistance to Change: Both patients and healthcare providers may be hesitant to embrace virtual care due to unfamiliarity with the technology.

Language Barriers: Language barriers between the patient and care provider can hinder effective communication.

Awareness: Awareness is the key to fully utilizing any resource and telemedicine services can not be utilized by unaware patients. Therefore, it is important to design strategies that utilize content marketing and social media to raise awareness.

References

 

Crafted By: Subham Yadav, B Pharm 23

By SUBHAM