Telehealth Advances in 2023

Telehealth in 2022

Telehealth has been popular due to its convenience and potential for integrated care. In 2022, research showed that 85% of doctors surveyed reported that telehealth helped provide care in a timely manner [1]. Furthermore, telehealth promotes collaboration when it comes to patient care. For instance, caregivers can receive information on how to properly provide care, as well as participate in communities where they can obtain support and resources. Moreover, telehealth allows rural communities to have better health options than they may have access to due to their location. This leads to health equity and promotes patient safety for various minorities and groups of lower socioeconomic factors. However, there are still ways that virtual services can improve in regard to human-centered design, chronic disease management, and mental health management. 

Human-Centered Design

Telehealth still has a long way to go before doctors feel it is comparable to in-person care [2]. This can harm patient and doctor relationships because of the lower quality of care. This can be improved with better user interfaces that allow patients and doctors to connect easily and more effectively. Moreover, telehealth should allow patients to have all of their information and doctors accessible in one location. Furthermore, online services may be hard to use for those with disabilities and those who don’t know how to use technology that well [2]. This can be improved with video tutorials, as well as keeping the steps needed to make an appointment short. [2]. Overall, telehealth allows doctors to send alerts, perform follow-ups, and treat patients in a convenient way. These services should be designed with patients in mind so they can be utilized effectively.

Chronic Disease Management

Chronic diseases and their risk factors are expected to increase [3]. Furthermore, risk factors for minority groups are expected to increase compared to white people [3]. This is concerning because it shows that health disparities cause minorities to not be heard or receive preventive care. Chronic disease management for minorities can be fixed when we acknowledge the biases in care and work to remove them. Furthermore, virtual services can implement sensors so risk factors for chronic diseases can be caught before they occur. This preventive care mixed with better access to education and resources can lead to more positive health outcomes for patients. Moreover, doctors can monitor a patient’s treatment plan in real-time using telehealth services. This means that patients can have their care adjusted when needed and be provided access to new referrals or options [4].

Mental Health Services

In 2023, we should see an increase in mental health services utilizing telehealth care. This is due to the convenience and ease of receiving care when people would otherwise not due to anxiety, lack of time, or even due to financial reasons. Furthermore, since most virtual appointments require voice and text, it allows patients to receive care when they are more comfortable doing so in the comfort of their homes. Moreover, mental health services can use apps to track moods and provide resources to patients when needed [5]. Overall, telehealth has many potential ways to improve mental health services for patients and allows them to access another method of support.

HITS

HITS provides healthcare management services & works with doctors to develop health informatics tools that promote safe and secure care. We take pride in our services and settle for nothing other than 100% quality solutions for our clients. Having the right team assist with data sharing is crucial to encouraging collaborative and secure care. If you’re looking for the right team, HITS is it! You can reach out to us directly at info@healthitsol.com. Check out this link if you’re interested in having a 15-minute consultation with us: https://bit.ly/3RLsRXR.

References

1. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital/2022-moving-beyond-telehealth-digitally-enabled-care 
2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/02/14/telehealth-the-good-the-bad-and-the-could-be-better/?sh=159ae46b7bb9 
3. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2022/08/01/16/37/New-US-Population-Study-Projects-Steep-Rise-in-Cardiovascular-Diseases-by-2060#:~:text=The%20researchers%20found%20that%20stroke,(16.9%25%20to%2016M).
4. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/can-telemedicine-produce-successful-preventative-care-program