Q).1

In this particular case I choose to discuss telehealth because this particular issues touches on various perspectives that are important and very crucial when it comes to the aspect of public health. From this aspect it is clear that telehealth is an essential aspect of the healthcare system and should be embraced fully.

Q).2

Telehealthcare is the way in which, patients at their homes are able to have the remote exchange of data between them and their doctors or primary care physicians, so as to get medical advice. This may even be used in the support of patients requiring long-term care, due to their having long-term conditions. This is facilitated mostly by the advancements in technology, for example, mobile phone technologies and other wireless technologies which enabler more data exchange. This is beneficial to nursing homes, as the patients who do not necessarily have to be admitted and readmitted to nursing homes can stay at home and be monitored from there and thus decongesting the nursing homes.

Some of the controversies surrounding telehealth care are if the advantages of telehealthcare will outweigh the disadvantages. Some questions that arise here include the following. One is the lack of a clinician physically examining the patient and the possible implications of that. There is also the possibility of video connectivity failing and thus having to complete the consultations via phone, this may result in an inconclusive diagnosis.

The patients may have challenges in getting all the pieces of equipment needed for effective tele healthcare; this raises the question of its effectiveness. Older patients may also have challenges in the usage of new technologies. Internet connectivity that is very much required, and has to be reliable, may not always be reliable especially in remote areas with poor connectivity. There is also the raging debate on the insurance coverage of video consultations, and as there is no face to face communications in the clinicians’ consultation room and no physical examination, there remains the possibility of limited diagnosis.

The purpose of choosing telehealthcare is because, with the advancement in technology, some of the needs of the patients can be very well attended to by nurses, clinicians and doctors without the patient, necessarily having to be physically present at the nursing home or hospital (Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Care Services, 2012). This frees up bed capacity at the nursing homes. It also allows for clinician-patient consultation almost at a twenty-four hours basis.

The audience that should be addressed includes the nursing homes management, for them to understand all about the broad issue of telehealthcare. The patients currently at the nursing homes, for them to understand all the details, about telehealthcare. The other is government representatives so as to get their support, relevant technology companies and internet service providers so as to have their support and maybe, get equipment at reduced prices

Some of the foreseeable challenges in the usage of telehealthcare include, there may be misdiagnosis as currently there is no standard of care that is already established, and there is also the challenge of how to account for those telehealth vendors (Dr. Joan Emeli-Komolafe, 2014). The above two challenges can be resolved by putting the relevant and appropriate measures in place, there may also be the challenge on the side of the healthcare providers on the adoption of the telehealthcare, this may be resolved by informing the healthcare providers, on the potential benefits to them brought about by telehealthcare.

There may also be the challenge of licensing of the clinicians and nurses as to which state they may operate from (Audrey Kinsella, 2013). Again, having the appropriate laws and regulations may resolve this. As the advantages of telehealth care, far outweigh its disadvantages, and with the advancement in technologies, telehealth care should be widely adopted.

REFERENCES

Audrey Kinsella. (2013). Home Telehealth Care: Process, Policy & Procedures. Information for

Tomorrow

Dr. Joan Emeli-Komolafe. (2014). Telehealth, Telemedicine or Electronic Health Simplified. Xlibris Corporation.

Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Care Services. (2012). The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment: Workshop Summary. National Academies Press.