 It is the delivery of healthcare services through telecommunication technology.  This allows for patients to interact with their healthcare team even when separated geographically.

 Teletranslation  Tele Home healthcare  Telecosultation  Nursing call centers  Remote monitoring of vital signs and behaviors  Online patient support groups

Teletranslation allows for patients that primarily speak in sign language to be able to communicate through a translator on the computer screen.

 Monitoring patient’s at home by communicating through technology.

 Communication across a distance with an expert consultant who provides some type of service.

 Serves underserved communities › Foster-care children, minority populations  Allow specialist to be consulted  Reduction in cost for patient and care giver  Improved health outcomes  Reduction in patients having to come back to the hospital

 Improves the communication between nighttime nurses, doctors, and family members  In the report done by Yager, Cummings, & Noviski (2012) this technology made communication between the family, bedside care provider, and patient enhanced during the night time shift. Yager, P., Cummings, B., Whalen, M., & Noviski, N. (2012).

 Remote Rural areas lack of access  Ethical and legal issues  HIPPA  Problems with technology

 Remote rural areas have lack of access to phone lines and up to date technology.  The survey conducted by The University of Montana Rural Institute found that only 39% of rural vocational rehabilitation telecommunication users actually admitted to using the services. Ipsen, C., Rigles, B., Arnold, N., & Seekins, T. (2013)

 Nurses providing care for patients across far distances › License › Different types of care

 Each state has different laws governing the use and disclosure of health information

 Telehealth is the way of the future for healthcare.  It enhances the ability for patients to communicate with their healthcare team  It will increase the care given to chronic and acute patients  All new things come with difficulty and until the kinks are worked out telecommunication will have disadvantages such as HIPPA or license problems.

 Ipsen, C., Rigles, B., Arnold, N., & Seekins, T. (2013). Access to, Use of, and Attitudes Toward Telecommunication Among Rural VR Clients. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 56(3), doi: /  Yager, P., Cummings, B., Whalen, M., & Noviski, N. (2012). Nighttime telecommunication between remote staff intensivists and bedside personnel in a pediatric intensive care unit: A retrospective study*. Critical Care Medicine, 40(9), doi: /CCM.0b013e dab