Hospitals are struggling to meet an increasing demand of accurate diagnostic interpretations and a growing shortage of radiologists. To overcome all these we need to use technology that helps us to expand Access to Care, improves Quality of Care and reduces the Cost of Care.
What Is Telemedicine and Teleradiology?
Telemedicine, a sub-segment of Telehealth is defined as the use of electronic information and telecommunication systems to deliver health care related services where patients, healthcare providers and other care coordinators are separated by distance. Telehealth technology facilitates timely transmission of reports between care providers, patient and care administrators and results in improved quality of care.
Through the use of teleradiology services, the expertise of a board certified subspecialty radiologist may be brought to an area where there may be critical shortages of radiologists. Patients in remote locations may no longer be at a disadvantage because they live in areas with a physician shortage throught telemedicine solutions such as teleradiology services.
Modes for Delivering Telehealth:
Real-time (synchronous): Telehealth relies on telecommunication links that allow interactions via telephones, mobile devices, video conferencing, email and other technology driven means of communication. The immediate interactions facilitate consultations between physicians and patients, meetings between healthcare providers to confer on specified patient care and provide well-timed feedback to patients, and managing healthcare staff.
Store & Forward or (asynchronous): Telehealth captures (stored) digital images, video, audio and clinical data on a computer and transmits the information (forwarded) through secure means to an alternative location where they are reviewed by a specialist and transmitted back with an opinion, additional questions and next steps.
Remote monitoring is a combination of store and forward as well as real-time applications. It is used in care management to improve patient outcomes. Active monitoring of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure helps in reducing the incidence of relapse. A patient’s vital signs and predetermined health measures are consistently, reliably and accurately monitored from a distant location (e.g. blood pressure heart rate, weight etc.) by a healthcare professional who communicates with the patient in the event that there is an escalation in symptoms that require immediate action.
Teleradiology- how it works?
Outcomes of Telehealth and Teleradiology:
Telehealth can be thought of as the intersection between the information highway and healthcare delivery. By integrating technology such as telephony, broadband connectivity, internet, WIFI and video conferencing, any organization or community can provide the necessary medical care to its population. Technology is the enabler by which patients can receive rapid, thorough care through consultation between a local practitioner and a remote specialist such as a cardiologist or dermatologist as examples. Technology can also enable the care coordination of chronically ill patients or those who are discharged following surgical events.
Telehealth can improve healthcare outcomes and overcome the shortage of physicians across the U.S. and globally. This model can be both cost effective and sustainable. Telehealth can facilitate reduced re-admission rates to hospitals while minimizing the frequency of Emergencey Department visits. Telehealth solutions can also support Accountable Care Organizations and Meaningful Use criteria.
Telehealth is viewed as the next generation of cost effective, patient centered care coordination. This is due to the reduction in costs for patient transportation and transfer fees while allowing patients to seek treatments within their own communities surrounded by family and friends. Local hospitals, clinics and physician practices also benefit as they maintain their patients locally thus retaining their employees and services therefore sustaining the local community.
The quality of care is also improved since professional and patient education is improved while communication techniques and efficiency are enhanced timely.
Data gathered from the teleradiology services supports positive outcomes in chronic disease management, reduction in hospital re-admissions and the facilitation for aging in place and general expansion of access to care. As physician and specialist shortages continue to stress the system the implementation of Telehealth is unavoidable.
