Page 21 - English Class 9
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specialists and doctors' reach to patients.
Reporter : In terms of this acceleration and momentum of telehealth services,
we are currently seeing, what are some items we can expect to see
in the future?
Chang : Telehealth will not replace face to face care services, but we
will incorporate it into healthcare facilities' infrastructure.
Patients will be selecting providers based on their accessibility
to telehealth services. With more access to doctors, increasing
patients using preventative care services and follow-up care
due to convenience will start to emerge. These can lead to fewer
readmissions and patient complications. We will also see more
use for early screening of patient triage in the field before they
arrive at hospitals.
Reporter : When it comes to remote patient monitoring for clinicians, what
impact does telehealth have on this?
Chang : Remote patient monitoring could be one of the applications
of telehealth. Remote patient monitoring usually involves
continuously collecting patient's health data through wearable
devices, such as vital signs and blood sugars. The patient's
data is then transmitted in real-time, monitored, and reviewed
by medical providers.
In this way, medical providers could acquire a whole picture of
a patient's health condition and give a more precise diagnosis.
Reporter : How has telehealth shaped the way clinicians work with each other?
Chang : Clinician-to-clinician telehealth services have enabled medical
professionals to collaborate virtually with specialists in other
locations to deliver treatment and care to patients jointly. This
service can range from remote surgical mentoring to Tele-ICU
and Tele-ER (like a stroke), in which on-site staff work together
with a remote physician/specialist team to assess patient's
condition. Telehealth solutions relieve the pressure of staffing
gaps seen in critical departments such as an emergency room
and ICU.
Reporter : What would you say are some of the biggest challenges clinicians
currently face with telehealth?
Chang : Many hospitals are still facing the lack of infrastructure to
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