Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technologies, such as computers

and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely and manage your health care. These
may be technologies you use from home or that your doctor uses to improve or support health care
services.
What Is The Difference Between Telemedicine, Telecare and Telehealth?
There are many new medical tech terms being used today that the average patient may not be
familiar with. For example, a common misunderstanding is that the terms telemedicine, telecare,
and telehealth are interchangeable. The truth is that each of these terms refers to a different way of
administering health care via existing technologies or a different area of medical technology. To
clarify the subtle differences between these three terms, we have provided a detailed definition of
each.
Telehealth
Referring to health information services, health care education, and health care services in a broad
sense, the term telehealth is an all-encompassing one. In fact, telecare and telemedicine are
generally covered within the broader scope of the term telehealth. Examples of telehealth includes
health education services, remote monitoring of vital signs, ECG or blood pressure and remote
doctor-patient consultations (telemedicine). Telehealth technology enables the remote diagnoses
and evaluation of patients in addition to the ability to remote detection of fluctuations in the medical
condition of the patient at home so that the medications or the specific therapy can be altered
accordingly. It also allows for e-prescribe medications and remotely prescribed treatments.
Telecare
Telecare is the term that relates to technology that enables patients to maintain their independence
and safety while remaining in their own homes. This technology includes mobile monitoring
devices, medical alert systems, and telecommunications technology like computers and telephones.
Continuous remote monitoring of patients enables telecare to track lifestyle changes over time as
well as receiving alerts relating to real-time emergencies.
Telemedicine
This term has a narrower scope than that of telehealth. It refers more specifically to education over a
distance and the provision of health care services through the use of telecommunications
technology. Telemedicine refers to the use of information technologies and electronic
communications to provide remote clinical services to patients. The digital transmission of medical
imaging, remote medical diagnosis and evaluations, and video consultations with specialists are all
examples of telemedicine.
10 Pros of Telehealth

1. Advances new business models

Telehealth as a business model is shifting the paradigm by advancing consumer-based care. An

article in mHealthIntelligence says, “Specialists are now finding that they can launch their own
telehealth platform to consumers, offering their services online much like a banker, real estate
agent or other business person.” With telehealth, clinicians can extend their patient base beyond
brick-and-mortar facilities, extending hours, and creating new and more convenient models for their
patients.

2. Improves patient engagement with remote monitoring

The increasing role of consumerism and value-based reimbursement in healthcare has led hospitals
and health systems to emphasize new ways of interacting with their patients to engage them in self-
care. Treating patients proactively requires clinicians to teach patients how to care for themselves
between clinical visits. With an increase in chronic health conditions, using telehealth for remote
monitoring is just one way that medical providers can improve outcomes while still cutting costs.
Today, telehealth is being used to report patient metrics from the comfort of the patient’s own
home, while remote teams act as coach and counselor as they engage patients in their own journey
toward health.

3. Expands access to care and reaches more patients

We know that there is an increasing physician shortage; telehealth can help stretch our provider
networks in new ways to expand access to care. Telehealth can be used to reach patients in rural
areas and outside the normal care delivery systems. The tool can be used for midlevel patient
education as well as physician diagnosis, reaching a variety of people in new ways.

4. Improves clinical workflows and increases practice efficiency

Telehealth can increase clinical workflow efficiency. It can serve as the conduit for quicker
prioritization of care delivery, triaging each case and improving communication by capturing,
storing, and using patient data for better medical decision-making. The Medical Group Management
Association (MGMA) reports that telehealth is a feature of some of the best performing practices in
our nation. These tools can help facilitate performance improvements including increasing patient
satisfaction scores.

5. Increases practice revenue

In addition to reducing overhead costs per visit, telehealth is less time-consuming, both for the
patient and provider. Telehealth can allow physicians to bill for uncompensated phone calls while
also extending hours to capture more billable time. Telehealth cuts down on no-shows and can
improve the efficiency of a practice. Telehealth can also provide a competitive advantage, attracting
and retaining more patients with new models of care.

6. Reduces practice overhead

Unlike expensive hospital systems, SaaStelehealth applications are low cost to implement. But the
cost of a telehealth visit is much less than traditional on-site visits. Typically, the average cost of an
emergency room visit is $1,734 and the average cost of an on-site doctor’s office visit is $146.
Conversely, a telehealth visit is only $79 on average. The University ofPittsburg Medical Center
(UPMC) says they save $86.64 every time an online visit replaces an onsite visit.

7. Cuts patient costs

Our patients spend a lot of money and time seeking healthcare. With a telehealth visit, the doctor
comes to the patient on their phone, laptop, or another digital device. Imagine how the costs of
travel, parking, childcare, and taking time off work can accumulate. The additional effort that it
takes to travel to a remote doctor’s facility can be stressful, but it is the costs that can really add up.
In some rural regions, patients must travel overnight to reach specialists in more urban regions.
Oregon Health and Science University saved their patients $6.4 million annually in travel costs by
implementing a telemedicine program. One UPMC patient survey showed that 40% of their patients
said if they did not have access to a virtual visit, they would skip treatment because of the burden of
excessive travel to their facilities.

8. Improves healthcare quality

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) says that telehealth improves healthcare
quality, particularly in rural settings. That’s because the technology can improve service delivery
and treatment of acute conditions. Telehealth is also being used to divert unnecessary ER visits. It
also improves the convenience of receiving treatment by allowing patients to receive care without
traveling long distances.

9. Reduces patient no-shows

Earlier this year, Becker’s released a case study on a Nebraska Children’s Hospital that struggled
with frequent no-shows, in part, because rural patients drove for many miles to receive care at their
state-of-the-art facility. No shows had become a significant revenue cost center for the organization
and the quality of care was being compromised, particularly on follow-up visits. When they
expanded treatment with telehealth, the targeted service line improved no-show rates by 50%.

10. Improves patient satisfaction

Patient satisfaction is a key performance indicator of telehealth. 87% of the patients using the

OrthoLivetelehealth application say they would use it again. A patient survey from the nationwide
chain of CVS Minute Clinics reported up to a 99% satisfaction score with their telehealth visit.
These results have been mirrored
in clinical facilities from the Cleveland Clinic, the VA, children’s hospitals, and more.

Telehealth is Growing

By the end of 2018, seven million Americans will use telehealth technology. Just five years ago,
that number stood at 350,000. OrthoLive is leading the push toward the use of a technology whose
benefits have been proven for specialists and primary care providers. Talk to our team about how
telehealth can benefit your practice.

Types of Telemedicine
There are three main types of telemedicine, which include store-and-forward, remote monitoring
and real-time interactive services. Each of these has a beneficial role to play in overall health care
and, when utilized properly, can offer tangible benefits for both healthcare workers and patients.
Store-and-Forward
Store-and-forward telemedicine surpasses the need for the medical practitioner to meet in person
with a patient. Instead, data such as medical images or biosignals can be sent to the specialist as
needed when it has been acquired from the patient. This practice is common in the medical fields of
dermatology, radiology and pathology.
With proper structure and care, this technique can save time and allow medical practitioners to
serve the public with their services more fully. However, it relies on a history report and
documented information or images, rather than a physical examination, which has the potential to
cause complications such as misdiagnosis.
Remote Monitoring
Also known as self-monitoring or self-testing, remote monitoring uses a range of technological
devices to monitor health and clinical signs of a patient remotely. This is extensively used in the
management of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and asthma.
Benefits of remote monitoring include cost effectiveness, more frequent monitoring and greater
patient satisfaction. There is some risk that tests conducted by the patients themselves may be
inaccurate, but the outcomes are generally thought to be similar to professional-patient tests.
Real-Time Interactive Services
Interactive services can provide immediate advice to patients who require medical attention. There
are several different mediums utilized for this purpose, including phone, online and home visits. A
medical history and consultation about presenting symptoms can be undertaken, followed by
assessment similar to those usually conducted in face-to-face appointments.
Teleneuropsychology is an example of this type of telemedicine that includes neuropsychological
consultation and assessment over the phone with patients that have, or are suspected to have, a
cognitive disorder. Standard evaluation techniques are implemented to assess the patient via video
technology. A study from 2014 found that this method provides a feasible and reliable alternative to
traditional in-person consultations, although it was noted that quality standards and administration
must be upheld.
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Telenursing refers to the utilization of communicative technology to provide remote nursing
services. Consultations can be made over the phone to reach a diagnosis and monitor health
conditions and symptoms. This is growing in favor due to the low cost and high accessibility of the
services to patients, particularly for those in rural regions. It also has the potential to lessen the
burden of patients in hospitals because it is possible to address minor ailments earlier and patients
can receive advice about whether hospital admission is required.
Telepharmacy allows pharmaceutical advice to patients when direct contact with a pharmacist is not
possible. This allows medications to be monitored and patients can be offered advice over the
phone. Depending on regulations, refill authorization may be given to allow patients to receive
regularly medications when required.
Telerehabilitation utilizes technology to communicate and perform clinical assessment and therapy
for rehabilitation patients. This usually has a strong visual element with video conferences and
webcams commonly used to assist in communicating symptoms and clinical progress.
These services are a great step forward in improving accessibility of healthcare to all patients,
particularly those living in areas with limited local health professionals. Additionally, they offer a
significant benefit of reduced cost in comparison to traditional in-person appointments.

Explaining Telemedicine to Patients

Explain What Telemedicine Is

Start by explaining that telemedicine refers to the practice of using telecommunications technology
to evaluate, diagnose and care for patients at a distance. There are lots of things that can be
considered telemedicine including remote patient monitoring and sharing patient records over
secure email connections, but what you are talking about is a visit that is done using video
conferencing over the internet. The patient and healthcare provider communicate using an
application designed for the purpose. The patient may participate using a personal computer with a
webcam or smart mobile device with a built-in video camera.

Give the Patient Some Context

It is useful to talk a bit about how telemedicine is used. You might mention that telemedicine is
appropriate for many primary care and follow-up visits. It is also a good way for patients to get
specialty care and depending on the concern, it is a good alternative to urgent care clinics or
emergency rooms for non-emergency situations.

Communicate the Benefits

Take a minute to let your patients know what’s in it for them. Here are a few of the key benefits of
seeing a provider remotely.
No transportation time or costs –  When you see your doctor on your mobile device or computer,
you can save money on gas, parking, and public transportation.
No need to take time off of work –  You can schedule your appointment during a break, or before
or after work. You can do the visit from anywhere that you feel offers you enough privacy. There’s
no need to waste your precious paid time off.
Eliminate child or elder care issues – If you have the responsibility for caring for children or older
adults, finding someone to fill in can be a challenge, as can bringing them along. Telemedicine lets
you see your doctor while managing your family responsibilities.
Less exposure to illness – While we take great care to keep patients from passing illness to each
other, the fact is that doctor’s offices are full of sick people. With a video visit, there’s no chance
that you’ll catch something from another patient.
Improved health outcomes – When you are able to see your us as often as you need to you put
yourself on the path to better health.

Address the #1 Concern About Telemedicine

According to a recent survey by Medscape, an online medical news resource, which include 1423
healthcare providers, and 1103 patients to assess their attitudes toward telemedicine and other
emerging technologies in healthcare, the number one concern of patients is whether the diagnosis
will be accurate. To overcome this concern, begin by assuring the patient that you realize that not
every medical situation is right for a video visit. Let them know that you and your staff know when
it is safe and effective to conduct an encounter using telemedicine.

Discuss Privacy and Security

Patients are right to be concerned about the privacy and security of their confidential medical
information. While today’s digital world offers a lot of convenience, there are risks. Make sure they
know that you’ll be using a telemedicine solution designed specifically to protect patient
information and meet the strict standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act, known as HIPAA for short.

Talk About Insurance Coverage

Of course, your patients are going to want to know if telemedicine is covered by insurance. If your
state is one of the twenty-nine that require private payers to cover video visits on par with how they
cover in-office ones, let your patient know. If not, assure them that your office will verify eligibility
for telemedicine before the visit. If the visit is approved, it will not cost your patient anything more
than an in-person visit would under their coverage.
Trying out a new way to see your doctor can be a little scary. We’re talking about health after all.
What could be more important than that? It’s worth taking the time to explain the details of
telemedicine and answer any questions that your patients have. Once they get comfortable with the
approach, they’ll enjoy all of the benefits and so will your practice.

Definition of Telecare

The definition of telecare has changed over time as new technology has shaped the face of modern
telemedicine. The basic definition of telecare is “care offered to patients remotely via
telecommunications technology, either through synchronous (live video) or asynchronous means
(store-and-forward, remote patient monitoring).” Telecare is often used to expand patient access to
care, help patients manage recovery and well-being at home, and remotely monitor risks or early
warning signs of health conditions. The care could be handled through a range of technology – from
telephones to online virtual visits to remote patient monitoring centers.

Social and lifestyle monitoring are also included under Telecare. One growing example is the use of
remote monitoring centers to provide assistance to the elderly, monitoring for any warning signs of
falls or unusual behavior patterns that might be a red flag for needed intervention. Some telecare
systems will also note the environment, and whether the person is unconscious, and trigger the
required response.
As this example shows, telecare encompasses a broader category than telemedicine since it is used
for more purposes than just facilitating remote medical treatment between healthcare providers and
patients.
Mobile phone technology is now in vogue to help monitor such situations outside of the home.
Since many mobile devices now include GPS tracking, telecare is now more accessible than ever.

Many systems will also help the person to receive immediate feedback on their environment, health,
or situation, which can alleviate memory issues and help the person to maintain their dignity and
independence.

In many cases, telecare systems can help to deliver appropriate help from a neighbor, an ambulance,
or even the police department to the person. This is a vital part of all telecare systems and can be
mediated via routing through dedicated call centers, making it easy to keep in touch with the
required telecare services.
Example Of Telecare Devices and Systems

There are three basic types of telecare systems to help people requiring remote care:

1. Telecare Prediction Systems

Telecare systems that fall under the prediction category can help predict issues before they arise.
Such systems will use software that senses and analyzes data for red flags or escalations in
the severity of the person’s condition. This can include a minor fall, if the person is in need of
assistance and so on. It can graph the patterns in the person’s data and this data can be used to help
determine if help is needed or required. It can also monitor sleep and whether or not the person is up
wandering around.

2. Telecare Sensor Systems

Telecare systems in the sensor category can help reduce common issues by sensing the person’s
environment and activating when an anomaly occurs. For example, bed sensors might be set to
activate if the person is not in bed during set times (indicating they may be wandering, or have
fallen). These sensor systems can show that the person is moving around and approximately where
they are located.

3. Mitigate Harm

This type of alarm is a pendant that the user wears so that they can activate the alarm if they need
assistance. Heat sensors and smoke detectors as well as bed sensors are all set to note this pendant.
They will then send an alarm to the call center after a specific event in order to arrive in time to
assist the person. The sensors can also be triggered if the person doesn’t return to bed within a
predetermined amount of time, if the person appears to be wandering around, etc. If the person
doesn’t press a specific button at a preset time on a daily basis the alarms can also trigger.

Telehealth, eHealth and mHealth

Sometimes the terminology around telecare, telemedicine, telehealth, and other niches within the
digital health field can seem very vague. In part, this is because the field is changing so rapidly that
we’re still settling on stand terminology.
 Generally, telecare may encompass any of the previously mentioned areas of treatment and care for
patients. It can include remote monitoring and remote medical practices. Telehealth is generally
used more specifically to describe telemedicine, which is remote treatment by a doctor, or different
devices and apps used to manage popular and personal health (fitness tracker, CDC health alerts).

The definition of telehealth has now expanded to include those who are being monitored via mobile
phones. It can also help to relay information regarding those who need support in independent
living as they are older, disabled or vulnerable. So there is overlap between the terms telehealth and
telecare in many cases.

Remote patient monitoring included in telehealth is often used for patients in remote areas and can
include sending physiological data from a patient to medical staff at a local clinic or remote facility.
It can aid in diagnosis and help to add support to patients requiring monitoring and more. It can aid
with lung function issues, diabetes and more. Imagine being able to relay temperature, vital signs,
blood pressure and more without having to leave home. It’s ideal for clinical reviews and keeping
the patient in touch with the doctor.

Examples

 Glucose monitoring
 Blood pressure monitoring
 Cardiac monitoring of arrhythmia
 Asthma monitoring
 Reminding patients to take medications

Telecare Benefits

The benefits are clear and simple and can impact patient lives all over the globe.
 They will feel safer if they know someone is always nearby.
 They may require fewer routine checkups.
 They might not have to spend as much time in the hospital.
 They may wish to do more self managed care and get engaged in their health plan.
What is the Future of Telecare?

As noted, much of telecare technology is merging with telehealth. In the future, it’s likely that they
will be essentially the same field. Individuals believe in the benefits and many are turning to such
measures to help sway the cost of medical care. While more research is required, telecare is
definitely the wave of the future.

As people search for better ways to manage their health and remain independent, many are turning
to telecare. Such emerging technology is only the beginning in making this happen.
For more in depth investigation, it’s wise to seek out the exact terminology and examine what the
telehealth care actually involves for any specific use. The UK and US both have guidelines that will
help to monitor and guide patients and health care users through this process.

Health care has evolved from a time where the doctor rode the horse to his patients houses and
cared for them, to modern technology whereby the patient can wear a simple monitoring device and
check in daily if need be. No longer are patients required to find a ride to the doctor and have their
ride wait for hours while they wait to be seen. With this modern technology, health care has gotten
an upgrade.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TELEHEALTH, TELEMEDI, TELECARE

Telehealth
Referring to health information services, health care education, and health care services in a broad
sense, the term telehealth is an all-encompassing one. In fact, telecare and telemedicine are
generally covered within the broader scope of the term telehealth. Examples of telehealth includes
health education services, remote monitoring of vital signs, ECG or blood pressure and remote
doctor-patient consultations (telemedicine). Telehealth technology enables the remote diagnoses
and evaluation of patients in addition to the ability to remote detection of fluctuations in the medical
condition of the patient at home so that the medications or the specific therapy can be altered
accordingly. It also allows for e-prescribe medications and remotely prescribed treatments.

Telecare
Telecare is the term that relates to technology that enables patients to maintain their independence
and safety while remaining in their own homes. This technology includes mobile monitoring
devices, medical alert systems, and telecommunications technology like computers and telephones.
Continuous remote monitoring of patients enables telecare to track lifestyle changes over time as
well as receiving alerts relating to real-time emergencies.

Telemedicine
This term has a narrower scope than that of telehealth. It refers more specifically to education over a
distance and the provision of health care services through the use of telecommunications
technology. Telemedicine refers to the use of information technologies and electronic
communications to provide remote clinical services to patients. The digital transmission of medical
imaging, remote medical diagnosis and evaluations, and video consultations with specialists are all
examples of telemedicine.