Telemedicine: Current Impact on the Future

Abstract

The current healthcare landscape lends itself to major changes, including elevating the prominence of telemedicine. Recent technological advances and external pressures have driven telemedicine to the forefront of medical reality. During an emergency declaration made March 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stated the need for providers to use telemedicine to provide patients care in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other settings across the states. Additionally, new policies have been implemented to better facilitate patient care, safety, and privacy. The convenience provided by this low resource modality facilitates the intercommunication between physicians and offers a suitable alternative for patients who are medically or socially unable to see providers in person. However, given the nature of the practice, much consideration is needed to build patient relationships and comfort. In the future, the impact of telemedicine on healthcare environments cannot be overstated, especially in hospice and nursing home settings where it stands to improve treatment efficacy and monitoring for the elderly. Newer inventions such as the remote patient monitoring system can act as safety nets for clinic patients, while improving accessibility of electronic health records (EHRs) will dramatically augment available treatment options. However, the spread of telehealth relies on community reimbursement and the ability for physicians to consistently offer the same services that are available in person. Additionally, it is imperative that physicians and other healthcare professionals integrate these new technologies into their fields while also maintaining the ethics of patient security and autonomy.

Perspectives of primary care clinicians in Massachusetts on use of telemedicine with adults aged 65 and older during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Federally, telemedicine benefits for Medicare beneficiaries were modestly, but permanently, expanded at the end of 2020 [31] , [32] . Private insurers will likely be guided by public policy and public opinion [30] , [33] , [34] . Since funding for telemedicine is likely to continue in some capacity, understanding how best to optimize and integrate telemedicine into primary care is essential.…”

The Future of Cross-Continental Telemedicine in the Management of Complicated Endocrine Patients and Its Suitability Based on a Case Report

“…One of the few silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is the rise of telemedicine. Telemedicine can increase access to healthcare for patients in remote rural areas with limited transportation and for immunocompromised patients to minimize their risk of exposure to infectious diseases [1].…”

“…This is further supported by the recent technological advances and external pressures that have made telemedicine an attractive approach to modern medicine. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made a declaration in 2020 by announcing the need for providers to provide patients' care in hospitals, clinics, and elsewhere by using telemedicine [1]. This has gained even more traction with newer and better safety policies to protect patients' confidentiality [1].…”

“…The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made a declaration in 2020 by announcing the need for providers to provide patients' care in hospitals, clinics, and elsewhere by using telemedicine [1]. This has gained even more traction with newer and better safety policies to protect patients' confidentiality [1]. Telemedicine is also cost-effective and has been proven to cost less for health care systems compared to face-toface appointments for patients [2].…”

The Recent Progress and Applications of Digital Technologies in Healthcare: A Review

“…Primary Care and General Practice. Telemedicine can greatly improve the work of GPs through better and timely communication with the patients [119,120]. It can help the GP to take care of and monitor a maximum number of patients in the area, particularly in rural locations.…”