Overview of Telemedicine There is no secret that information technology has improved communication and changed the infrastructure of the modern business world. The healthcare industry was actually one of the last industries to integrate technology into day-to-day operations. Telemedicine is a form of information technology in healthcare that is used to deliver healthcare services to remote locations around the world. According to the Wootton (2009), the World Health Organization defined telemedicine as “the delivery of health care services, where distance is a critical factor, by all health care professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease
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The most significant factor that has contributed to telemedicine technology is the ability to improve access to healthcare for people that live in rural communities. Telemedicine is an effective way to reduce distance barriers to health care in rural and remote areas to include underserved locations with limited technological infrastructure and physicians. Consumer demand is another important factor that is driving the demand for telemedicine technology. Telemedicine technology provides consumers with access to high quality cost-effective healthcare services. According to the Healthcare Trend Institute (HTI) (2015),”one of the biggest forces behind the telehealth movement is consumer demand. More and more patients want telehealth technology because of convenience and it eliminates the need to take off work for doctor’s office …show more content…
According to the WHO (2012), professional resistance to new technology is cited as the major barrier to implementation due to the complexity, changes to routines, and educating staff members to use the technology”. Nevertheless, physicians and healthcare organizations are steadily adopting telemedicine technologies and integrating the technology into daily operations. There are several legal and ethical issues pertaining to telemedicine to include state licensure, malpractice, and reimbursement. States may require some form of licensure or assurance of minimum technological standard. For example, states may issue a minimum-security requirement to protect patient privacy and information. Physicians are also required licensure to physically practice medicine in each state. Practitioners who want to practice telemedicine should consult with a legal advisor and research the law in states they intend to practice telemedicine. Telemedicine allows the transmission of health information from state to state, which raises the concern of medical liability, jurisdiction, and registration. Reimbursement issues are a major concern for Medicare because Medicare will only pay for “face-to-face”, tele-radiology, and remote EKG applications. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA), “Medicare will cover
The most significant factor that has contributed to telemedicine technology is the ability to improve access to healthcare for people that live in rural communities. Telemedicine is an effective way to reduce distance barriers to health care in rural and remote areas to include underserved locations with limited technological infrastructure and physicians. Consumer demand is another important factor that is driving the demand for telemedicine technology. Telemedicine technology provides consumers with access to high quality cost-effective healthcare services. According to the Healthcare Trend Institute (HTI) (2015),”one of the biggest forces behind the telehealth movement is consumer demand. More and more patients want telehealth technology because of convenience and it eliminates the need to take off work for doctor’s office …show more content…
According to the WHO (2012), professional resistance to new technology is cited as the major barrier to implementation due to the complexity, changes to routines, and educating staff members to use the technology”. Nevertheless, physicians and healthcare organizations are steadily adopting telemedicine technologies and integrating the technology into daily operations. There are several legal and ethical issues pertaining to telemedicine to include state licensure, malpractice, and reimbursement. States may require some form of licensure or assurance of minimum technological standard. For example, states may issue a minimum-security requirement to protect patient privacy and information. Physicians are also required licensure to physically practice medicine in each state. Practitioners who want to practice telemedicine should consult with a legal advisor and research the law in states they intend to practice telemedicine. Telemedicine allows the transmission of health information from state to state, which raises the concern of medical liability, jurisdiction, and registration. Reimbursement issues are a major concern for Medicare because Medicare will only pay for “face-to-face”, tele-radiology, and remote EKG applications. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA), “Medicare will cover