NUR 514 Topic 8 DQ 2 Discuss some benefits and drawbacks of virtual care/telehealth particularly related to the collaboration and coordination of care and the role of the advanced registered nurse
NUR 514 Topic 8 DQ 2 Discuss some benefits and drawbacks of virtual care/telehealth particularly related to the collaboration and coordination of care and the role of the advanced registered nurse
NUR 514 Topic 8 DQ 2 Discuss some benefits and drawbacks of virtual care/telehealth particularly related to the collaboration and coordination of care and the role of the advanced registered nurse
Virtual care and telehealth technologies have the capability to greatly expand access to quality health care. Discuss some benefits and drawbacks of virtual care/telehealth particularly related to the collaboration and coordination of care and the role of the advanced registered nurse.
ELIZABETH
Re: Topic 8 DQ 2
Telehealth is the use of telecommunications technology to collect and transfer health data, communicate with providers and patients, and provide care to patients remotely regardless of their location. According to Frey and Chiu (2021), there are four types of telehealth: synchronous or live video, store-and-forward, remote patient monitoring, and mHealth (mobile health). Synchronous or live video involves real-time two-way communication between a provider and a patient. Data and patient history collected by a provider are stored and can later be obtained by another provider via a secure platform. Remote patient monitoring entails the use of digital or electronic tools to record a patient’s health information, such as blood sugar and blood pressure levels, which can then be automatically transmitted to a provider for review. The practice of medicine and public health that is aided by mobile devices such as mobile phones, tablets, personal digital assistants, and wireless infrastructure is referred to as mobile health (Innovatemedtec, 2021).
Virtual care is the channel by which healthcare providers communicate with their patients; it is the actual virtual visit that takes place between the healthcare team (MD, nurse, PT, etc.) and the patient. For virtual care to happen communication technologies, such as video, chat or phone are required. This allows patients to be connected to the quality care they need, when they need it most (Synzi, 2018).
Telehealth can be beneficial when coordinating care for patients. For example, surgical patients needing pre-surgical care and post-surgical care. Nurses can contact patients via e-mail, video conferencing, or the phone, to setup appointments, do post-op teaching, and check on how patients are doing once discharged home after surgery. An example mentioned by McGonigle & Mastrian (2017) is that virtual care allows a nurse to coordinate and complete 12-16 telehealth visits vs 7 visits by a conventional home health care nurse.
A drawback a nurse can encounter with telehealth, is not being able to do an actual physical examination. There may be instances where a hands-on comprehensive physical assessment is important, which would require the patient to either go to the office or where a nurse would need to go to the patient’s home. Having to draw blood or the patient requiring radiology tests, and technical difficulties with technological devices, could also affect telehealth encounters.
Nurses need to be mindful of HIPPA regulations and remember they can only treat patients within the state they are licensed in when participating in telehealth (Frey & Chiu, 2021).
Also Check Out: DNP 805 Topic 1 Discussion 2 Select one informatics theory from the areas of Theories, Change Theories, or Human Factors
References
Frey, M.B. & Chiu, S.H. (2021). Considerations when using telemedicine as the advance practice registered nurse. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17 (2021), 289-292). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.11.011
Innovatemedtec. (2012). What is mHealth? https://innovatemedtec.com/digital-health/mhealth
McGonigle, D., Mastrian, K. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13:9781284121247
Synzi, L. H. (2018, June 8). Why virtual care is the “new” telehealth. https://www.healthitoutcomes.com/doc/why-virutal-care-is-the-new-telehealth-0001
RESPOND HERE (150 WORDS, 2 REFERENCES)
Hello,
I agree with you that the use of telehealth and virtual health platforms have resulted to increased access to healthcare. This came in as a very crucial alternative in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic where movement was restricted and patient had to continue with their medication and clinical procedures online (Monaghesh & Hajizadeh, 2020). The use of these technologies is advantageous in the sense that it saves time since the patient does not need to travel to the healthcare facility but can still access the required expert information and medical assistance from the comfort of the home. There major disadvantage of telehealth is lack of continuity of care especially where the client is using on-demand telehealth services, he or she maybe linked up at random to a healthcare provider who does not have history of the previous medical conditions or medication of the patient. This lack of coordinated care may prove to be dangerous to the patient as it can result to either omission or duplication of medical procedures (Kho et al., 2020). I do agree with you that the advanced practice nurses have a responsibility to ensure that they practice according to their areas of specialization and licensure. Additionally, the state mandated regulations should also be adhered to.
References
Monaghesh, E., & Hajizadeh, A. (2020). The role of telehealth during COVID-19 outbreak: a systematic review based on current evidence. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09301-4
Kho, J., Gillespie, N., & Martin-Khan, M. (2020). A systematic scoping review of change management practices used for telemedicine service implementations. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05657-w
Re: Topic 8 DQ 2
The terms telehealth or telemedicine, encompass real-time, audio-video communication tools that connect providers and patients in different locations; store-and-forward technologies that collect images and data that can be transmitted and interpreted later, and remote patient monitoring tools such as home blood pressure monitors (Balestra, 2018). Rules that define and regulate telehealth are evolving and vary greatly across states, so much that health care groups are issuing different guidelines about the standard of care that applies in telehealth encounters.
Distance and travel time between patients and care providers can limit access to care. Telemedicine can overcome geographic barriers to healthcare, especially for specialized providers. Telemedicine can be particularly beneficial for patients in medically underserved communities and those in rural geographical locations where clinician shortages exist. Telemedicine can improve the quality of care for patients with both medical and mental health conditions. With telemedicine, patients had fewer hospital admissions and readmissions, spent fewer days in the hospital, and were more engaged in their healthcare (Care Innovations, n.d.). For nurse practitioners (NP) who deal with patients in a variety of settings, telehealth can help improve healthcare delivery to underserved communities.
Telemedicine can increase efficiency of care delivery, reduce expenses of caring for patients or transporting to another location, and can even keep patients out of the hospital. A strong doctor-patient relationship is the foundation for high-quality patient care and reducing health care costs.