Problem Statement
The negative impact to a patient with mobility issues as it relates to access to care is a significant problem for health maintenance. The elderly are generally considered over the age of 65, and in 2006 made up 12.4% of the United States population (Horton, & Johnson, 2010). According to Horton, and Johnson (2010), by 2030 they will make up at least 20% of the population. In addition, the elderly on average deal with at least one chronic medical condition.
On the other hand, increasing numbers of elderly want to remain independent. Yet, by the year 2000 over four million elderly individuals will live below the poverty line, according to the United States Census (Rittner, & Kirk, 1995). Access to care for many elderly individuals who lack resources to gain care is difficult. In their self-sufficiency the elderly often does not want to impose upon family to get to and from medical …show more content…
The authors conducted a telemedicine trial at a senior living community (SLC) in Rochester, New York. The purpose of the trial was to deliver acute care to patients requiring evaluation prior to their next regular doctor visit, but did require in an Emergency Department (ED). Three hundred eighty-eight residents participated in the trial, with a median age of 85 years old. The results of this trial showed that the residents of the SLC benefited from the telemedicine project. Over a two-year period, 281 out of 301 telemedicine visits occurred (Shah et al., 2013). Further, if telemedicine were not available, 48.1% of the participants would have gone to an ED, 27% to urgent care, and 24.4% would have scheduled an outpatient visit. This program demonstrates that telemedicine is a viable alternative to connect patients to primary care, and other services that they need. Besides, these patients were able to maintain independence, did not have to navigate public transportation, and resolved a medical issue before it became a true
The negative impact to a patient with mobility issues as it relates to access to care is a significant problem for health maintenance. The elderly are generally considered over the age of 65, and in 2006 made up 12.4% of the United States population (Horton, & Johnson, 2010). According to Horton, and Johnson (2010), by 2030 they will make up at least 20% of the population. In addition, the elderly on average deal with at least one chronic medical condition.
On the other hand, increasing numbers of elderly want to remain independent. Yet, by the year 2000 over four million elderly individuals will live below the poverty line, according to the United States Census (Rittner, & Kirk, 1995). Access to care for many elderly individuals who lack resources to gain care is difficult. In their self-sufficiency the elderly often does not want to impose upon family to get to and from medical …show more content…
The authors conducted a telemedicine trial at a senior living community (SLC) in Rochester, New York. The purpose of the trial was to deliver acute care to patients requiring evaluation prior to their next regular doctor visit, but did require in an Emergency Department (ED). Three hundred eighty-eight residents participated in the trial, with a median age of 85 years old. The results of this trial showed that the residents of the SLC benefited from the telemedicine project. Over a two-year period, 281 out of 301 telemedicine visits occurred (Shah et al., 2013). Further, if telemedicine were not available, 48.1% of the participants would have gone to an ED, 27% to urgent care, and 24.4% would have scheduled an outpatient visit. This program demonstrates that telemedicine is a viable alternative to connect patients to primary care, and other services that they need. Besides, these patients were able to maintain independence, did not have to navigate public transportation, and resolved a medical issue before it became a true