Telemedicine Team a Debate

Telemedicine Team A Debate

Telemedicine Team A Debate
Telemedicine can be defined as the investigation, monitoring and management of patients, using electronic systems enabling patients and providers to access information regardless of location to facilitate health care delivery (Lawton, 2010). This involves the transfer of medical information from one location to another. Increasingly, computer technology will allow much of the work in hospitals and physician offices to be more efficient with a reduction in overall costs. According to Marty Nall, Telemedicine Coordinator Georgia Partnership for Telehealth, there are four applications used for telemedicine in healthcare:
  * Remote database access/update
  * Tele-monitoring
  * Tele-Video Conferencing
  * Case Management/ Store and Forward
(personal communication September 28, 2010).
            Telemedicine has proven to be beneficial, especially in instances of natural disasters. The devastating earthquake in Haiti that killed more than 200,000 became a proving ground for the use of telemedicine tools (Lawton, 2010). Physicians who were on ground in Haiti, with the use of telemedicine, were able to consult with other physicians via satellite; which connected patients with health care specialist in the United States (US). During the Winter Olympics telemedicine played an intricate role in supporting the athletes and facilitating treatment as required.
Telemedicine has been a useful tool in home health care. Integrity Home health agency in Springfield, MO, reports including telemedicine into the operations of the organization leaders noted a 3% decrease in hospitalizations, 1% decrease in emergency room visits, a 2% drop in urgent care visits, as well as a decrease in unscheduled home visits (2008). The decrease in the frequency of homecare nursing visits has proven to be cost effective for the organization. Other advantages of telemedicine in healthcare include:
  * Shaw (2009) reports...