3. Definition “The use of telecommunication technologies to deliver medical information and services to locations at a distance from the care giver or educator.”
This type of Telemedicine does not require the presence of both the doctors/ specialists and the patients and works best for non-emergency situations. Patients can be in both urban and rural areas. Store and Forward usually takes the form of a ‘multimedia email’ that contains medical information including: medical images, biosignals, or videos. This email is then sent to a consultant or medical specialist. As the specialist is not online with the patient, they may review the information on their own or consult other specalists. Once the specialist has reached a conclusion, they will then send back their reply to the paitent.
Remote monitoring, also known as self-monitoring or testing, enables medical professionals to monitor a patient remotely using various technological devices. This method is primarily used for managing chronic diseases or specific conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or asthma. These services can provide comparable health outcomes to traditional in-person patient encounters, supply greater satisfaction to patients, and may be cost-effective.
Interactive telemedicine services provide real-time interactions between patient and provider, to include phone conversations, online communication and home visits. Many activities such as history review, physical examination, psychiatric evaluations and ophthalmology assessments can be conducted comparably to those done in traditional face-to-face visits. In addition, “clinician-interactive” telemedicine services may be less costly than in-person clinical visit.Real time telemedicine requires the presence of the patients and the consultant/ specialist and can be as simple as a phone conversation or as complicated as robotic surgery. A communication link allows them to communicate in real time. Video conferencing is the most common form of communication. Many times during the session, peripheral devices are attached to computers to aid the specialist. For example a tele-otoscope would allow the specialist to see inside to patient’s ear and a tele-stethoscope allows the spiciest to hear the patient’s heartbeat.
1. ReliabilityAll hardware and software used in telemedicine MUST be reliable especially in an emergency situation. For example,what if in the middle of a consultation the hardware gives out leaving the patient alone to deal with their issues? Having unreliable hardware and software could be potenally dangerous for both the patient and the specialist. In emergency situations, the specialist/ consultant should be a reliable one and not an imposter or armature right out of medical school 2. Integrity of Data - 3. SecuritySince telemedicine is electronic and digital, it would be possible for someone to hack into a database and steal information on some of the patients. They could have access to recorded videos, telephone calls, pictures, and all sorts of medical information. 4. Privacy and AnonymityIf a patient is talking to a doctor, the network may not be secure and therefore it would breach the patient’s privacy. Since doctors may share information to other doctor’s about their patient, the patient should be sure that their very personal information is kept private. 5. Authenticity - 6. Intellectual Property - 7. Equality of AccessTelemedicine helps many people in many different areas and locations. Many people, not all, have access to quality education Not everyone has access (due to cost or location) to the equipment and machinery used by a doctor to monitor a patient 8. ControlTelemedicine may soon come to control people. Especially those who are paranoid or hypochondriacs may abuse the system and constantly call or annoy their doctor. And since they do not have to leave their home it will make it easier for them. 9. Globalization and Cultural DiversityTelemedicine helps reduce cultural and geographical boundaries Specialists from different countries can assist those in remote locations Specialists can communicate with other specialists and discuss their patient’s symptoms, disorders, or issues Specialists can learn from other specialists without having to travel to meet them 10. Policies and StandardsWill there be new policies for giving out subscription drugs? 11. People and MachinesThe use of telemedicine will benefit many people It will make work for specialists/ doctors easier May result in unemployment of ambulance drivers, secretaries, and nurses
