What is Telehealth?

Telehealth encompasses many ideas and has been defined in many different ways. A common definition is 'the use of technology to support the delivery of health services, education, and administrative activities at a distance:
 
  • It includes direct clinician / client consultations via videoconferencing as well as the transmission of images to specialists for diagnostic interpretation.
  • It brings together people working on administrative projects such as business planning or negotiations.
  • It is being successfully used to deliver education and training.
 
On any given day, telehealth technology is used:
  • By specialists to consult with patients or other physicians;
  • By clinicians to deliver a rehabilitation session, e.g. physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech language therapy;
  • To consult with home care clients, e.g.wound management, palliative care, or children’s health;
  • By administrators to hold a meeting; and
  • To deliver education sessions either to members of the public or health sector professionals.
 
Telehealth in Alberta primarily uses videoconference technology, and there are more than 300 videoconferencing endpoints in Alberta today. Other telehealth technologies used include peripheral medical devices,web-based applications, videophones, and home telehealth units.
 
Telehealth has had a significant impact on access, quality, and capacity to deliver services.
  • Telehealth provides new models of care such as facilitation of interdisciplinary consults based on doing what is best for the patient or client; for example, follow-up that prevents repeat hospitalizations.
  • Telehealth addresses population needs, for instance home telehealth and creative workforce options to address the aging population or increase services to rural areas.
  • Telehealth addresses geographical barriers by reducing travel and associated costs for clinical, education, and administrative events.
  • Telealth increase the capacity of clinicians to deliver clinical services and provides support for clinicians in rural areas or isolated environments.
Last updated: 1/24/2008 9:52:50 AM
Updated by: 2