The Pros and Cons to telehealth

Sample Answer

Pros and Cons of Telehealth

Telehealth, the use of technology to deliver health services remotely, has both significant advantages and disadvantages for patients and providers.

Pros:

Increased Access and Convenience: Telehealth removes geographical barriers, making healthcare more accessible for people in rural or underserved areas, those with mobility challenges, or those who lack reliable transportation. It also offers flexible scheduling and eliminates travel time and costs.

Beginning the Assessment:

Establish Connection and Rapport: Greet the patient and confirm they can see and hear you clearly. Make "eye contact" by looking directly into the camera lens.

Obtain Informed Consent: Verbally confirm that the patient consents to the telehealth visit.

Initial Subjective Assessment: Conduct a thorough patient history. Ask detailed questions about their symptoms, medical history, medications, and any other relevant information. Encourage them to be as descriptive as possible.

Conducting the Virtual Physical Exam:

Observation: Pay close attention to visual cues, such as the patient's general appearance, skin color, and breathing patterns.

Patient-Assisted Exam: Guide the patient through a self-examination. For example, instruct them on how to palpate an area of concern, perform range-of-motion exercises, or use a flashlight to look at their throat.

"Look, Point, Move": Adapt the traditional "look, feel, move" physical exam to a virtual setting. Instead of feeling, ask the patient to "point" to where the pain is or where a lump is located.

Leverage Technology: Utilize tools like a digital stethoscope for remote auscultation or a remote otoscope for ear examinations if available.

After the Assessment:

Summarize and Plan: Summarize your findings and diagnosis (if possible). Clearly explain the treatment plan, including any prescriptions, follow-up instructions, or recommendations for in-person care if needed.

Ensure Understanding: Ask the patient to repeat back the key takeaways to ensure they understood the information and instructions.

Documentation: Document all observations, what the patient was able to perform on their own, and any limitations due to the virtual format.

Limits to Telehealth

The primary limits to telehealth are related to the absence of a physical presence. These include:

Inability to Perform a Hands-On Exam: This is the most significant limitation. You cannot palpate an abdomen, listen to lung sounds with a stethoscope, or perform many other critical parts of a physical exam without specialized equipment.

Conditions Requiring Immediate In-Person Care: Telehealth is not appropriate for medical emergencies, severe injuries, or conditions that require procedures, labs, or imaging (e.g., getting a blood draw, an X-ray, or a vaccination).

Technical and Socioeconomic Disparities: The "digital divide" remains a major barrier. Patients without access to technology or the internet, or those with limited digital literacy, are effectively excluded from telehealth services.

Privacy and Safety of the Patient's Environment: A patient may not have a private space to discuss sensitive health information, or their environment may not be safe for a virtual visit, such as a home with domestic violence