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Posted on: April 8, 2020
In the new era of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, patients and providers in the age of a new normal are increasingly reliant on telehealth services to conduct their check-ups and to monitor patient health.
The telehealth revolution has been underway for more than a decade, but it has gained new prominence in the minds of Americans following the stay-at-home orders that states across America issued in response to the outbreak.
What Is Telehealth?
Succinctly put, telehealth refers to the use of telecommunication technology, primarily the internet, to deliver healthcare. The term came into widespread use only in the last few years as more and more doctors turn to telehealth services to deliver healthcare to patients.
The Benefits of Telehealth
Telehealth enables patients to connect with nurses, doctors, and other providers regardless of physical distance. Too often, certain demographic groups like the elderly and rural populations struggle to access the care they need. Now, patients with mobility issues or who live hundreds of miles from the nearest clinic can commute to their appointments digitally.
Additionally, telehealth apps for smartphones and other devices enable health monitoring from afar. Many of these apps record vital signs from patients – for example, blood pressure or blood sugar in diabetics – then send the recorded information to the appropriate healthcare provider.
In addition to clinics and hospitals, your local day spa can even utilize telehealth for its clients.
The Future of Telehealth
As a society, we are in the infancy of telehealth. The applications of technology to healthcare are nearly endless. Seemingly every month, a new way to utilize technological advances to deliver healthcare is developed.
Fifth-generation internet, or 5G, will open up a new world of opportunities for telehealth. Surgeons in China, for example. recently successfully completed brain surgery on a patient with Parkinson's disease from thousands of miles away using a 5G connection.
Stay tuned for the latest developments in this fast-moving sector. We will likely see huge advances in the coming years as doctors employ telehealth technology to augment their work.
