Telehealth – An Innovation of the Healthcare Industry

Innovations constantly being introduced to the world of health care in an industry where new findings are so vital to the progression of patient care and organizational growth. The implementation of telehealth services is an innovation within the heath care sector that has been a topic of discussion and review recently. Telehealth is the practice of using different communication technologies such as computers, tablets, or phones to contact health care providers for remote access to improve an individual’s health (Mayo Clinic, 2017). According to Lowery (2018), “Although there are numerous benefits to telehealth, there are also many things to consider when beginning or expanding a telehealth program or clinic.” (p. 15).

There are multiple facets of telehealth that have been established as ways to provide remote access to health care for patients. It has been used as a tool to remote monitor health – in one instance to detect changes in normal daily functioning of older individuals or people with disabilities to be able to aid them in situations such as falls. It has been used to promote better communication among providers who can conduct consultations virtually as opposed to having to travel for second opinions. It provides a system in which patients can keep track of their own medical records. There are also a multitude of health apps accessible to patients to keep track of their health. It has been a way to provide quality health care services in real time which is something that providers and health care facilities are constantly looking to improve.

This service is not meant to replace actual visits with a provider and has not been deemed as appropriate for all types of medical attention (Rasmussen, 2019). The use of telehealth has its limitations in that it potentially can lead to overbilling of insurances with patients possibly abusing the convenience of the service. Also, the coverage with such services can be questionable as well with different insurances (Mayo Clinic, 2017). It can vary by insurance type or state. Patient access is so important to the health care organizations looking to stay as competitive as possible and telehealth is one tool used to impact that within the industry.