Delivering care anytime, anywhere: telehealth alters the medical ecosystem

Delivering care anytime, anywhere: telehealth alters the medical ecosystem

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Contributor(s):
Doty, Carlton A.
California HealthCare Foundation.
Publication:
Oakland, Calif. : California HealthCare Foundation, c2008
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Delivery of Health Care
Diffusion of Innovation
Health Services Accessibility
Medical Informatics
Telemedicine -- methods
California
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Telehealth is becoming prominent on the national health care landscape as providers and insurers look for ways to improve the quality of care, create better access for the underserved, and reduce costs. Sometimes referred to as e-health, e-medicine, or telemedicine--telehealth encompasses applications as diverse as electronic medical record (EMR) systems, e-prescribing, and the emerging Health 2.0 social media functions. This report examines the current state of telehealth use, with particular focus on applications that deliver health care services directly to consumers (patients) at a distance, on demand, and via any electronic means. Despite the proven and potential benefits of telehealth, widespread adoption has been slow due to a number of challenges: low consumer awareness; provider concerns over liability; complex licensing and regulatory restrictions; and misaligned provider reimbursement practices. Nevertheless, there are business drivers currently pointing to a potential acceleration in telehealth adoption.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
101514341 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101514341