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International Journal of Medical... Nov 2020Information technologies have been vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth and telemedicine services, especially, fulfilled their promise by allowing patients to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Information technologies have been vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth and telemedicine services, especially, fulfilled their promise by allowing patients to receive advice and care at a distance, making it safer for all concerned. Over the preceding years, professional societies, governments, and scholars examined ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) related to telemedicine and telehealth. Primary concerns evident from reviewing this literature have been quality of care, access, consent, and privacy.
OBJECTIVES
To identify and summarize ethical, legal, and social issues related to information technology in healthcare, as exemplified by telehealth and telemedicine. To expand on prior analyses and address gaps illuminated by the COVID-19 experience. To propose future research directions.
METHODS
Literature was identified through searches, forward and backward citation chaining, and the author's knowledge of scholars and works in the area. EU and professional organizations' guidelines, and nineteen scholarly papers were examined and categories created to identify ethical, legal, and social issues they addressed. A synthesis matrix was developed to categorize issues addressed by each source.
RESULTS
A synthesis matrix was developed and issues categorized as: quality of care, consent and autonomy, access to care and technology, legal and regulatory, clinician responsibilities, patient responsibilities, changed relationships, commercialization, policy, information needs, and evaluation, with subcategories that fleshed out each category. The literature primarily addressed quality of care, access, consent, and privacy. Other identified considerations were little discussed. These and newer concerns include: usability, tailoring services to each patient, curriculum and training, implementation, commercialization, and licensing and liability. The need for interoperability, data availability, cybersecurity, and informatics infrastructure also is more apparent. These issues are applicable to other information technologies in healthcare.
CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians and organizations need updated guidelines for ethical use of telemedicine and telehealth care, and decision- and policy-makers need evidence to inform decisions. The variety of newly implemented telemedicine services is an on-going natural experiment presenting an unparalleled opportunity to develop an evidence-based way forward. The paper recommends evaluation using an applied ethics, context-sensitive approach that explores interactions among multiple factors and considerations. It suggests evaluation questions to investigate ethical, social, and legal issues through multi-method, sociotechnical, interpretive and ethnographic, and interactionist evaluation approaches. Such evaluation can help telehealth, and other information technologies, be integrated into healthcare ethically and effectively.
Topics: COVID-19; Computer Security; Delivery of Health Care; Humans; Medical Informatics; Pandemics; Privacy; SARS-CoV-2; Telemedicine
PubMed: 33152653
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104239 -
Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition) Dec 2021At the end of 2019, patients with pneumonia of unknown etiology appeared in the city of Wuhan (China). After a short time, this infection affected not only the people of... (Review)
Review
At the end of 2019, patients with pneumonia of unknown etiology appeared in the city of Wuhan (China). After a short time, this infection affected not only the people of China but also the whole world. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the disease a pandemic. A viral agent was identified - severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease itself was named "2019 novel coronavirus infection" (COVID-19). Telemedicine technologies are a form of medical care and training that can counteract the spread of a COVID-19 epidemic by eliminating direct contact of both medical workers with patients and medical workers and patients with each other. Lack of personal protective equipment, the suspension of clinical clerkship and supervision, and a reduction in the number of elective surgical cases inevitably affect medical and surgical education. Interesting solutions using virtual learning, video conferencing, social media, and telemedicine could effectively address the sudden discontinuation of medical education. In fact, it is currently the ideal combination of teleworking and study. Telemedicine can play an important role in this pandemic by minimizing the spread of the virus, leveraging healthcare providers' time, and alleviating the challenges of medical education. The aim of this study was to identify the role of telemedicine services in the management and controlling of diseases as well as on medical education during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Topics: COVID-19; Education, Medical; Humans; Pandemics; Physical Distancing; SARS-CoV-2; Telemedicine
PubMed: 34937315
DOI: 10.52586/E885 -
Sleep Medicine Clinics Sep 2020Sleep telemedicine practitioners must ensure their practice complies with all applicable institutional, state, and federal regulations. Providers must be licensed in any... (Review)
Review
Sleep telemedicine practitioners must ensure their practice complies with all applicable institutional, state, and federal regulations. Providers must be licensed in any state in which they provide care, have undergone credentialing and privileging procedures at outside facilities, and avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest while providing that care. Internet-based prescribing remains limited to certain circumstances. Whether or not a malpractice insurance policy covers telemedicine depends on the insurer, especially if interstate care is provided. All telemedicine programs must protect patient health information. Similarly, bioethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice apply to both in-person and telemedicine-based care.
Topics: Credentialing; Electronic Prescribing; Humans; Informed Consent; Internet; Telemedicine
PubMed: 32762973
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2020.06.004 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Dec 2020With over 37.8 million cases and over 1 million deaths worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a societal and economic upheaval of unparalleled magnitude. A... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
With over 37.8 million cases and over 1 million deaths worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a societal and economic upheaval of unparalleled magnitude. A positive transformation has been brought about by innovative solutions in the health care sector that aim to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on human health. For instance, the use of telehealth has been on the rise amidst this public health emergency.
OBJECTIVE
Given the unprecedented scale of the pandemic with no definitive endpoint, we aimed to scope the existing telehealth-related literature during a defined period of the ongoing pandemic (ie, January to June 2020).
METHODS
Our scoping review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer Manual. We systematically searched PubMed and Embase databases with specific eligibility criteria. Data extracted from the shortlisted articles included first author and affiliation, journal title, publication type, terminologies used to describe telehealth and their accompanying definitions, health discipline or medical specialties and subspecialties wherein telehealth had been applied, the purpose of telehealth use, and the authors' overall sentiment on telehealth use. We collated the available information and used descriptive statistics to analyze the synthesized data.
RESULTS
In all, 543 articles published across 331 different journals were included in this scoping review. The Journal of Medical Internet Research and its sister journals featured the highest number of articles (25/543, 4.6%). Nearly all (533/543, 98.2%) articles were in English. The majority of the articles were opinions, commentaries, and perspectives (333/543, 61.3%). Most authors of the articles reviewed were from high-income countries (470/543, 86.6%), especially from the United States of America (237/543, 43.6%). In all, 39 different definitions were used to describe terms equivalent to telehealth. A small percentage (42/543, 7.7%) of the articles focused on the provision of COVID-19-related care. Moreover, 49.7% (270/543) of the articles primarily focused on the provision of multiple components of clinical care, and 23% (125/543) of the articles focused on various specialties and subspecialties of internal medicine. For a vast majority (461/543, 84.9%) of the articles, the authors expressed a celebratory sentiment about the use of telehealth.
CONCLUSIONS
This review identified considerable emerging literature on telehealth during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit mostly from high-income countries. There is compelling evidence to suggest that telehealth may have a significant effect on advancing health care in the future. However, the feasibility and application of telehealth in resource-limited settings and low- and middle-income countries must be established to avail its potential and transform health care for the world's population. Given the rapidity with which telehealth is advancing, a global consensus on definitions, boundaries, protocols, monitoring, evaluation, and data privacy is urgently needed.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Pandemics; Privacy; SARS-CoV-2; Telemedicine
PubMed: 33147166
DOI: 10.2196/24087 -
Rhode Island Medical Journal (2013) Feb 2020The use of telehealth - the delivery of healthcare services through the use of two-way electronic audiovisual technology - has grown significantly in the U.S. in recent...
The use of telehealth - the delivery of healthcare services through the use of two-way electronic audiovisual technology - has grown significantly in the U.S. in recent years. Telehealth offers patients and providers significant benefits as a lower cost, easier way to access quality care, but the medical community is still working to perfect the balance between technology and in-person care. This article covers the current national telehealth landscape, consumer perceptions of telehealth, as well as the steps Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) has taken to cover telehealth services for its members and implement a user-friendly mobile app to facilitate this type of care, as well as how it fits into their primary-care strategy. It discusses some existing applications for telehealth, as well as some ideal-state, practical ideas about the future of telehealth's use.
Topics: Efficiency, Organizational; Health Care Costs; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Rhode Island; Technology; Telemedicine; United States
PubMed: 32013298
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Public Health 2021
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Telemedicine
PubMed: 33796502
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.662617 -
International Journal of Cardiology Oct 2019Mobile health, or mHealth, is the implementation of digital health services with mobile and wearable devices, and has ample potential to enhance self-management of... (Review)
Review
Mobile health, or mHealth, is the implementation of digital health services with mobile and wearable devices, and has ample potential to enhance self-management of chronic conditions, especially cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., blood pressure control and supporting tobacco cessation and physical activity). It remains ambiguous, however, whether such technologies can improve cardiovascular outcomes. More importantly, mHealth carries the additional challenge of digital health literacy, which demands particular skills complementary to general and health literacy. Populations at risk for limited health literacy are similarly vulnerable to having challenges with digital health literacy. We identify such challenges and outline solutions to improve access to digital health services and their use for individuals with limited digital health literacy. We present an 18-point "Digital Universal Precautions" as a mandate for health care organizations committed towards addressing and facilitating eHealth literacy. As health care institutions increasingly advance mHealth through delivery of on-line material and patient portals, they face the challenge of ensuring that digital health services and content are available to all patients.
Topics: Health Literacy; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Telemedicine
PubMed: 31171391
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.05.066 -
Journal of the American Medical... Sep 2021Telemedicine and telehealth are increasingly used in nursing homes (NHs). Their use was accelerated further by the COVID-19 pandemic, but their impact on patients and... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Telemedicine and telehealth are increasingly used in nursing homes (NHs). Their use was accelerated further by the COVID-19 pandemic, but their impact on patients and outcomes has not been adequately investigated. These technologies offer promising avenues to detect clinical deterioration early, increasing clinician's ability to treat patients in place. A review of literature was executed to further explore the modalities' ability to maximize access to specialty care, modernize care models, and improve patient outcomes.
DESIGN
Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review methodology was used to analyze quantitative and qualitative studies.
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
Primary research conducted in NH settings or focused on NH residents was included. Participants included clinicians, NH residents, subacute patients, and families.
METHODS
PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, PsycNET, and JSTOR were searched, yielding 16 studies exploring telemedicine and telehealth in NH settings between 2014 and 2020.
RESULTS
Measurable impacts such as reduced emergency and hospital admissions, financial savings, reduced physical restraints, and improved vital signs were found along with process improvements, such as expedient access to specialists. Clinician, resident, and family perspectives were also discovered to be roundly positive. Studies showed wide methodologic heterogeneity and low generalizability owing to small sample sizes and incomplete study designs.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Preliminary evidence was found to support geriatrician, psychiatric, and palliative care consults through telemedicine. Financial and clinical incentives such as Medicare savings and reduced admissions to hospitals were also supported. NHs are met with increased challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which telemedicine and telehealth may help to mitigate. Additional research is needed to explore resident and family opinions of telemedicine and telehealth use in nursing homes, as well as remote monitoring costs and workflow changes incurred with its use.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Medicare; Nursing Homes; Telemedicine; United States
PubMed: 33819450
DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.02.037 -
PloS One 2020Patients and policy makers alike have high expectations for the use of digital technologies as tools to improve health care service quality at a sustainable cost. Many... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Patients and policy makers alike have high expectations for the use of digital technologies as tools to improve health care service quality at a sustainable cost. Many countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are investing in telemedicine initiatives, and a large and growing body of peer-reviewed studies on the topic has developed, as a consequence. Nonetheless, telemedicine is still not used at scale within the OECD. Seeking to provide a snapshot of the evidence on the use of telemedicine in the OECD, this umbrella review of systematic reviews summarizes findings on four areas of policy relevance: clinical and cost-effectiveness, patient experience, and implementation.
METHODS
This review followed a prior written, unregistered protocol. Four databases (PubMed/Medline, CRD, and Cochrane Library) were searched for systematic reviews or meta-analyses published between January 2014 and February 2019. Based on the inclusion criteria, 98 systematic reviews were selected for analysis. Due to substantial heterogeneity, a meta-analysis was not conducted. The quality of included reviews was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool.
RESULTS
Most reviews (n = 53) focused on effectiveness, followed by cost-effectiveness (n = 18), implementation (n = 17) and patient experience (n = 15). Eighty-three percent of clinical effectiveness reviews found telemedicine at least as effective as face-to-face care, and thirty-nine percent of cost-effectivenss reviews found telemedicine to be cost saving or cost-effective. Patients reported high acceptance of telemedicine and the most common barriers to implementation were usability and lack of reimbursement. However, the methodological quality of most reviews was low to critically low which limits generalizability and applicability of findings.
CONCLUSION
This umbrella review finds that telemedicine interventions can improve glycemic control in diabetic patients; reduce mortality and hospitalization due to chronic heart failure; help patients manage pain and increase their physical activity; improve mental health, diet quality and nutrition; and reduce exacerbations associated with respiratory diseases like asthma. In certain disease and specialty areas, telemedicine may be a less effective way to deliver care. While there is evidence that telemedicine can be cost-effective, generalizability is hindered by poor quality and reporting standards. This umbrella review also finds that patients report high levels of acceptance and satisfaction with telemedicine interventions, but that important barriers to wider use remain.
Topics: Chronic Disease; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Disease Management; Health Plan Implementation; Humans; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development; Self Care; Telemedicine
PubMed: 32790752
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237585 -
Perspectives in Health Information... 2022The use of telehealth as a viable mobility to deliver quality services steadily increases in various levels of the health system. Despite the increasing use of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The use of telehealth as a viable mobility to deliver quality services steadily increases in various levels of the health system. Despite the increasing use of telemedicine in secondary and tertiary health care services, there is a long way to go in the use of this technology in public health and primary health care (PHC). This study aimed to explore the features, approaches, and various dimensions of telehealth in PHC.
METHODS
A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework. A search was conducted in three bibliographic databases including PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus and in Google Scholar to collect papers published in November 2018 to 2000. Data were extracted according to a predefined form and check for completeness and accuracy by a second reviewer.
RESULTS
Through reviewing papers, the authors extracted information on the general characteristics and features of telehealth services, kinds of PHC services delivered via telehealth, hardware and software facilities used for providing health care through telehealth services packages, as well as their benefits, outcomes and obstacles.
CONCLUSION
Telehealth can be used for different purposes of PHC through deploying a full range of communication channels available to the public. Due to the opportunistic use of existing devices and platforms, telehealth can provide scalable PHC services nationwide and worldwide. However, implementing telehealth in PHC faces challenges from technical, organizational, and human perspectives. Digital equity (in terms of technology access and e-health literacy) is required to expand telehealth services to the populations in underserved areas.
Topics: Delivery of Health Care; Humans; Primary Health Care; Telemedicine
PubMed: 35440933
DOI: No ID Found