DQ: 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
Telehealth refers to the use of telecommunications technology to facilitate remote patient care delivery, provider-patient contact, and the gathering and transfer of health data. There are four different types of telehealth techniques, according to Frey & Chiu (2021), including synchronous or live video, store-and-forward, remote patient monitoring, and mHealth (mobile health). Real-time two-way communication between a provider and a patient is included in synchronous or live video. Data and patient histories gathered by one provider are preserved and later made available to other providers over a secure platform under the term “store-and-forward.” Utilizing digital or electronic technologies to collect patient health data, such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which can then be automatically communicated to a healthcare professional for evaluation, is known as remote patient monitoring. Mobile technologies including smartphones, tablets, personal digital assistants, and wireless infrastructure are used to support the practice of medicine and public health under the umbrella term of “mobile health” (Innovatemedtec, 2021).
DQ: Discuss some benefits
The method of communication between healthcare professionals and their patients is known as virtual care; it refers to the real virtual visit that occurs between the patient and the healthcare team (including the doctor, nurse, physical therapist, etc.). Virtual care requires the use of communication technologies like video, chat, and phone. This enables people to access high-quality care when they most need it (Synzi, 2018).
When planning patient care, telehealth can be useful. For instance, surgical patients who require pre- and post-operative care. Nurses can make appointments, do post-operative instruction, and check in on patients once they are sent home following surgery by calling, sending emails, or using video conferencing. In contrast to the 7 visits made by a traditional home health care nurse, virtual care enables a nurse to coordinate and perform 12–16 telehealth appointments. This is an example given by McGonigle & Mastrian (2017).
A disadvantage of telemedicine for nurses is that they cannot perform a physical examination. There might be situations
DQ Talk about some virtual care advantages and disadvantages. Regarding care coordination, teamwork, and the role of the advanced registered nurse in particular, telehealth.
where a full hands-on physical examination is crucial, which calls for the patient to either visit the doctor’s office or for a nurse to travel to the patient’s house. Technical issues with technology gadgets, the need for blood draws or the patient needing radiology testing, could also interfere with telehealth consultations.
When participating in telehealth, nurses should be aware of HIPPA guidelines and keep in mind that they can only treat patients inside the state in which they hold a valid license (Frey & Chiu, 2021).
References
Chiu, S.H., and Frey, M.B. (2021). Considerations for the advanced practice registered nurse when using telemedicine. The Nurse Practitioner’s Journal, 17 (2021), 289–292). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.11.011
Innovatemedtec (2012). mHealth – what is it? https://innovatemedtec.com/digital-health/mhealth
D. McGonigle and K. Mastrian (2017).
Knowing the basics of nursing informatics (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning, Burlington, Massachusetts. ISBN-13: 9781284121247
ANSWER HERE (150 WORDS, 2 REFERENCES)
I concur that increased access to healthcare has been a result of the adoption of telehealth and virtual health platforms. In the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, when travel was restricted and patients had to continue with their medication and clinical procedures online, this emerged as a very important option (Monaghesh & Hajizadeh, 2020). The usage of these technologies is useful in that it saves time because the patient does not have to travel to the healthcare institution in order to receive the necessary expert information and medical support. Instead, they may do so from the comfort of their own home. Lack of continuity of treatment is telehealth’s main drawback, particularly when a patient is using on-demand services and may be randomly connected to a healthcare professional who is unfamiliar with the patient’s past medical history or current medications. The patient could be put in risk due to this lack of coordination of care because it could lead to the omission or repetition of medical procedures (Kho et al., 2020). I do concur that advanced practice nurses must make sure that they adhere to their areas of licensing and specialization when practicing. The state-mandated regulations should also be followed, of course.
References
Gillespie, N., Martin-Khan, & Kho, J. (2020). a thorough analysis of change management techniques applied to the introduction of telemedicine services. Health Services Research in the BMC, 20 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05657-w
DQ: Discuss some benefits
Re: DQ 2 for Topic 8
Real-time, audio-visual communication tools that link patients and providers in various locations are included in the definitions of telehealth and telemedicine, as are store-and-forward technologies that gather images and data that can be transmitted and analyzed later, as well as remote patient monitoring devices like home blood pressure monitors (Balestra, 2018). Health care organizations have released various guidelines for the quality of care that is applicable in telehealth encounters because the laws that define and regulate telehealth are changing and considerably vary across states.
Access to care may be hampered by distance and travel time between patients and healthcare professionals. Geographical barriers to healthcare can be removed by telemedicine, particularly for skilled practitioners. Patients in medically underserved populations and those living in remote areas with a shortage of clinicians can benefit especially from telemedicine. Telemedicine can enhance the standard of care provided to patients with physical and mental health issues. With telemedicine, patients spent less time in the hospital, had fewer readmissions, and were more involved in their own healthcare (Care Innovations, n.d.). Telehealth can assist in enhancing the delivery of healthcare to underserved communities for nurse practitioners (NP) who work with patients in a variety of venues.
