Telenursing Essay
1404 Words
Apr 20th, 2014
6 Pages
Telenursing The Future Is Now
It is true of many rural and remote locations that insufficient access to health care provision results in lower health status when compared to their urban counterparts. Advanced communication technology offers a method for addressing this problem. Nevertheless, examination of this technology indicates that while there is a great deal of potential, implementing telemedicine also encompasses many barriers. In addressing these barriers and associated issues, it is also clear that safeguards are required to protect patients and ensure that the standard defining quality care provisions are upheld. Telemedicine (TM) is defined as the "practice of 'medicine at a distance,'" indicating that it refers to the …show more content…
It is true of many rural and remote locations that insufficient access to health care provision results in lower health status when compared to their urban counterparts. Advanced communication technology offers a method for addressing this problem. Nevertheless, examination of this technology indicates that while there is a great deal of potential, implementing telemedicine also encompasses many barriers. In addressing these barriers and associated issues, it is also clear that safeguards are required to protect patients and ensure that the standard defining quality care provisions are upheld. Telemedicine (TM) is defined as the "practice of 'medicine at a distance,'" indicating that it refers to the …show more content…
Safeguards are required, such as password protection, in order to ensure that issues of confidentiality of patient data are enforced (Lateff, 2011). There are a variety of tools that can be utilized to address security concerns. These solutions include "encryption technologies, anonymizers, and opt-in functions" (Thompson, Koumanakos and Hadjri, 2012, p. 149). Individuals are attracted by the Internet as an information provider as it is perceived as a "safe and anonymous place" to procure and share health care information (Thompson, Koumanakos and Hadjri, 2012, p. 149). Numerous e-health business models are based on the ability to track user activity and construct profiles based upon the information being sought and individuals' purchasing histories (Thompson, Koumanakos and Hadjri, 2012). As this suggests, deficient safeguarding in regards to confidential information is a very real danger in telemedicine practice (Thompson, Koumanakos and Hadjri, 2012).
Telemedicine is implemented via a variety of formats, one of which is telemonitoring. When heart failure occurs, it generally means increased hospitals admissions and decreased quality of life (Atkin and Barrett, 2012). Telemonitoring decreases hospital admissions, and thereby improves quality of life, by allowing health care providers to monitor heart patients remotely. The parameters of the monitoring equipment are set so
Telemedicine is implemented via a variety of formats, one of which is telemonitoring. When heart failure occurs, it generally means increased hospitals admissions and decreased quality of life (Atkin and Barrett, 2012). Telemonitoring decreases hospital admissions, and thereby improves quality of life, by allowing health care providers to monitor heart patients remotely. The parameters of the monitoring equipment are set so