What is Telehealth?
Telehealth is the delivery of health-related services and information via telecommunications technologies. Telehealth delivery could be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as sophisticated as using videoconferencing between providers at facilities in two countries examining and diagnosing a patient.
Telehealth is an expansion of telemedicine, and unlike telemedicine (which more narrowly focuses on the curative aspect) it encompasses preventive and curative aspects. Originally used to describe administrative or educational functions related to telemedicine, today telehealth stresses a myriad of technology solutions.
Clinical uses of telehealth technology:
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Transmitting medical images for diagnosis (often referred to as store and forward telehealth)
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Exchanging health services or education live via videoconference (real-time telehealth)
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Transmitting medical data for diagnosis or disease management (sometimes referred to as remote monitoring)
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Consulting with patients about disease prevention and follow-up consultations
Non-clinician uses:
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Distance education like continuing medical education, grand rounds, and patient education
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Administrative uses that include meetings among telehealth networks, supervision, and presentations
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Telehealth research
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Online information and health data management
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Health care system integration
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Asset identification, listing, patient to asset matching, and movement
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Overall health care system management
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Patient movement and remote admission
To learn more, visit the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).