Telehealth refers to the delivery of health information and related services through telecommunications technologies (Norris, 2002). In fact, this is an expansion of telemedicine but is different in the dimension that while telemedicine mainly focuses on curative aspect, telehealth greatly encompasses curative, preventative and promotive aspects (Garry, 2006). Currently in health care, telehealth emphasizes a myriad of technological solutions. For instance, physicians employ the use of email in communicating with patients, ordering prescriptions and providing other health related services timely enough. Home conditions' monitoring has become a significant use for telehealth. In UK, research has indicated that is helps in improving mortality by about 47 percent. Some of the commonly used technologies include; the internet, streaming media, video conferencing, wireless and terrestrial communications and video conferencing. With these functions served, telehealth tend to meet diverse needs namely; providing technical services, enabling partnership within the medical profession, promoting knowledge exchange and obtaining information concerning clients as fast as possible (Olmeda, 2000).
Telehealth programs are controlled by different government and regulatory agencies. Their activities are to ensure that the technologies applied are proven, working and does not pose any threat. In other words, they determine the extent to which the newly coined technologies can be applied in relation to time and circumstance. They include, American Telehealth Association, California University Health Associations, California Telehealth Network, National Broadband Network and American Telemedicine Association. These governmental organizations and agencies create awareness out programs related to Telehealth, facilitating specialist referral services and financing set up and employment of these technologies.
Telehealth and electronic health records
The impact of electronic health records on telehealth and employees has been immense. First, it has fostered store and forwarding, a quintessential part of telehealth. In this case, health records kept in video or audio format; digital images daily living observations as well as clinical data stored on mobile devices or computer are forwarded or transmitted to a different location where a relevant specialist or authority can be able to go through them (Olmeda, 2000). This is followed by back transmission of the specialist's opinion after analysis. Depending on the needs of the healthcare entities who are taking part, the round up is due to take one minute to forty eight hours. Primary vital signs such as pulse oximeter, blood pressure, blood sugar and weight are trended and monitored for possible long term care. In fact, electronic records enable telehealth technologies to be applied in a variety of specialties such as pathology, dermatology and radiology since it ensures quick flow of information between parties thus making specialties more conducive (Andreas, 2010). For instance, automated diagnostic and screening is increasingly arising as a specialty focused on by telehealth due to availability of health records in electronic forms. In other words, without electronic records, only few selected activities in telehealth would be possible thus implying that electronic health records opens more avenues for employing the use of telehealth technologies. For instance, media streaming can only be done if the records are in video form and need to be accessed by different parties. It implies that it has opened medical field for corporation and information sharing as well as accountability and transparency for example, a postmortem on dead person can be monitored, witnessed and reports analyzed by pathologists from different parts of the world the same time by employment of appropriate telehealth technology in transmission of electronic health data (records). On the same note, existence of electronic health records quickened the pace at which the employees are able to perform. It exposes to a bulk of information and knowledge and even to acquire more transmitted to them by other experts. Undoubtedly, electronic health records have improved the overall welfare of employees in health care systems.
The impacts electronic health records on telehealth addresses regulations of health informatics in diverse ways. One way is management of communication. These impacts ensure accuracy, effectiveness and timely transfer of information. Also provides avenues for evaluating legal and regulatory requirements for information transfer as well as distinguishing respective persons who need information and the exact time of need. Synthesis of information in health informatics arises in the process of determining the most appropriate course of action to be taken. In this case, they help in assessment of health information needed by community, patients and staff, assembling all data components for successfully task completion and appraising completeness and accuracy of data as well as assessing whether the information being disseminated exists within the scope of law. One of the most used standards is documentation. It requires assembling documents accurately with needed information. This is meant to server accurate interpretation of collected information, differentiating various audience and purposes for gathering information, preparing accurate documentation for different audience within legal requirements and dissemination of information to specified audience by the use of established guidelines and systems and assessing and recommending processes for adjustment (Garry, 2006).
Legal and safety concerns of telehealth
Limited nature of reimbursement has become a major ethical concern to deal with. With expansion of Medicaid and Medicare coverage leading to addition of reimbursement assigned for individuals residing in remote areas, only a third of private payors can enjoy telehealth coverage in the some states making it an issue. There is also a legal question regarding geographic boundaries. The fact that internet cannot limited by borders, issues related to the practice of telehealth between providers and patients across states have brought up legal questions. In fact, about twenty six states have passes legislations regulating out of state telehealth practitioners. The greater majority of states need full licensure for those out of state physicians who provide telehealth services to the patients living in the state. Safety issues have arose out of lack of stronger clinical guidelines and protocols for treatment and ensuring safety of patients. On the same note, security concerns have been raised with growing number of health related injuries on the wealth of personal information stored online. The issues also pertain to security of patient data (Maheu, Whitten & Allen, 2001).
Impact of Regulations on telehealth
Regulations on telehealth ensure critical treatment and use of information by right people with required skills and expertise. This is because the regulations set expected standards and time required in treatment of relevant information hence the information can not fall on wrong hands. In other words word, the regulations oversees total observance of all standards of operation such as communication, analysis, abstracting and coding, understanding flow of information in the information systems and proper documentations. Evidence based guidelines for telehealth practice exists alongside procedures followed in medical practices, record keeping and management.
In conclusion, there are countless opportunities that come with telehealth technologies. As a result, telehealth still has a place in the contemporary society and even in centuries to come. In fact, telehealth has emerged to become one of the most promising fields in health care landscape. This has been throbbed by ability to carry out remote visits with patients and keenly watch the entire process of recovery such as time constraints, distance and mobility. Besides, funding for telehealth is due to increase by the government. It is because telehealth is increasingly becoming integral in reforming the entire healthcare system in United States of America. Besides, it is almost certain that the practice management systems will develop telehealth capabilities in discharging their duties thus being a clear evidence of existence.