What are the Pros and Cons to telehealth?
How will you approach and perform a telehealth assessment?
What are the limits to telehealth?
What is the difference between the provider's need for a successful telehealth visit versus the Patient's perspective?
| Comfort and Privacy: Patients often feel more comfortable discussing sensitive issues from home, potentially increasing honesty and engagement. | Security and Privacy Risks: Potential breaches of Protected Health Information (PHI) if platforms are not robustly secured and compliant (e.g., HIPAA). | |
| Workforce | Provider Flexibility: Allows providers to work remotely and increases organizational capacity without adding physical space. | Reimbursement and Licensing Issues: Complex and changing state and federal regulations regarding where a provider can practice and how they are reimbursed for remote services. |
A successful telehealth assessment requires careful preparation, a structured process, and active engagement to compensate for the limitations of the virtual format.
Technical Check: Ensure the connection, video quality, microphone, and lighting are optimal for both the provider and the patient. Instruct the patient to find a private, quiet space with good lighting.
Privacy Confirmation: Verify the patient's identity and confirm they are in a private location where they can speak freely.
Chart Review: Review the patient’s history, recent vital signs (if provided), and the reason for the visit.
Telehealth, the use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to support long-distance clinical healthcare, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration, offers significant opportunities but also presents distinct challenges.
| Category | Pros (Benefits) | Cons (Challenges) |
|---|---|---|
| Access & Equity | Improved Access: Reaches patients in rural/underserved areas, those with mobility issues, or those lacking transportation. | Digital Divide: Excludes patients without reliable internet, proper devices (smartphones, computers), or the necessary technical skills. |
| Convenience & Efficiency | Reduced Time and Cost: Eliminates patient travel time, costs (gas, parking, missed work), and reduces clinic overhead and wait times. | Technology Dependence: Technical failures (poor connectivity, software glitches) can disrupt appointments and compromise patient care. |
| Quality of Care | Continuity of Care: Facilitates easier follow-ups and management of chronic conditions, leading to better adherence. | Limited Physical Exam: Inability to perform tactile (touch) physical examination components, potentially leading to missed or delayed diagnoses. |