A Look at Telehealth Nursing

As the supply of primary health care practitioners fails to keep pace with the increasing demand for medical services it will become necessary to find more efficient and effective ways to meet those growing demands.  One such way of meeting the ever increasing demand for healthcare services is by utilizing technology to its fullest.  Telehealth systems which are defined by Hebda and Czar (2013), as the use of technology to provide and support exchange of healthcare related services, have been in use to support the healthcare system for years.  Recent advances in technology are opening new doors in this fast growing field.  Anguita (2012) illustrates opportunities for nurses to contribute to this growing field.  In her paper she cites a study done in the UK and how it has shown the potential for improving health care outcomes in the chronically ill.   Vinson et al. (2011) also describes a study done at a healthcare facility that revealed an increase in patient satisfaction as a result of access to telenursing.  Wakefield et al. (2013) share their findings of a test that revealed that telenursing improved patient outcomes and medication adherence.  However, telehealth and telenursing are not without barriers, perhaps one of the main barriers is reimbursement.  Other barriers include licensure and liability issues, patient compliance, and costs associated with infrastructure and equipment. While there are still several kinks to be worked out, this area of nursing is expanding and growing.  The use of technology to provide healthcare services has shown great potential.  Nurses are in a unique position to help meet the increased demand on our healthcare systems, while enabling patients under their care to achieve maximum health benefits and independence.  The telehealth system should not be viewed as a replacement or alternative to routine health care, but as a tool that can increase efficiency and improve patient outcomes.