This article analyzes telemedicine, the use of distant communication technologies within the context of clinical health care, and the effects it has on health communication. The main effect is that telemedicine has the capacity to substantially transform health care in both positive and negative ways and to radically modify personal face-to-face communication (Turner, 2003). This has tremendous implications for health communication scholars in that they can extend the telemedicine debate by integrating fresh insights into more acceptable approaches that will refine and humanize mediated channels of health communication. There are several key areas of telemedicine that need to be discussed (i.e., e-health services, clinical encounters, etc.), all of which are identified in this article. In addition to describing the past and current applications of telemedicine, this article provides a better understanding of unique needs, resources, problems, and opportunities germane to telemedicine services.
This analysis investigates what patients and practitioners can do to improve their interactive communications to achieve optimal patient-centric (PC) care. One goal of this clinical practice approach is to improve patient satisfaction, compliance, and outcomes. The mutual responsibilities required of both the patients and practitioners to attain PC care are discussed. Innovative, information technology techniques in the healthcare environment in general and in care delivery in particular are explored. Practitioner-to-patient encouragement vis-a-vis self education on their conditions is also provided.
Telemedicine, the use of advanced communication technologies in the healthcare context, has a rich history and a clear evolutionary course. In this paper, the authors identify telemedicine as operationally defined, the services and technologies it comprises, the direction telemedicine has taken, along with its increased acceptance in the healthcare communities. The authors also describe some of the key pitfalls warred with by researchers and activists to advance telemedicine to its full potential and lead to an unobstructed team of technicians to identify telemedicine's diverse utilities. A discussion and future directions section is included to provide fresh ideas to health communication and computer-mediated scholars wishing to delve into this area and make a difference to enhance public understanding of this field.
Background: This study examines hospital outpatient perceptions of the physical environment of the outpatient waiting areas in one medical center. The relationship of patient characteristics and their perceptions and needs for the outpatient waiting areas are also examined.
A positive relationship has been demonstrated between the quality of care delivered in nursing homes and the quality of nursing staff providing the care. The general perception, however, is that there is a decline in registered nurses' staff hours in nursing homes. The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether the levels of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nursing assistants (NAs) as well as skill mix has changed in nursing homes between the years 1997 and 2007. A descriptive research design was employed on data derived from Online Survey Certification and Reporting System database. After accounting for facility size and ownership, it was found that more nursing homes have increased-rather than decreased-LPN and NA hours per resident day between 1997 and 2007. On the other hand, more nursing homes have decreased-rather than increased-RN hours per resident day and skill mix during the same time period.
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