Telehealth
Although the advancement of telehealth definitely has numerous advantages for both the medical personnel and the patients, there are disadvantages as well. The alternate effects of switching to distance-based healthcare should be analyzed in order to understand the full extent of implications. The first problem has been addressed in the post, which is access to technology. If the internet connection is disrupted or not assured, the entire purpose of delivering healthcare via the means of communication becomes defeated. However, the adoption of this technology has other important ramifications.
In order to diagnose a medical condition, a doctor has to check the patient. The procedure involves the use of senses, such as touch and smell (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). Both of these are entirely absent during distance-based communication, which compromises the quality of doctors’ input. Furthermore, communications via electronic means has a larger probability of misunderstandings than in real-life setting. Almost any medical intervention has to be done manually, meaning that a doctor has to be physically present. As Gogia et al. (2016) note, “no telehealth system as yet can set up an i/v line and administer fluids” (p. 3). All of these facts prove that telehealth is not a full solution.
However, the number of disadvantages does not imply that telehealth cannot be beneficial. In fact, it is the logical development of society’s reliance on technology and distance-based communication. Nevertheless, it should be stated that there are cases, when such healthcare is applicable and when it is not (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). If treating a patient does not require a direct input of a medical specialist, then telehealth is adequate. If a medical diagnosis needs doctors’ participation and physical tests, then telehealth is not sufficient. The current level of medical technology does not allow patients to be treated on a distance basis.
Medical apps
The prevalence of smartphones in modern life is indeed so high that it is reasonable to expect their implementation in different spheres, including healthcare. However, their use also has some disadvantages, which should also be considered. First, the use of medical apps presupposes an online database, where the users’ personal information is stored. Naturally, it creates a question of privacy and the possibility of disclosure (Bruce et al., 2020). As health data is a highly sensitive subject matter, many people are anxious to use mobile health applications. Users have to be assured that their private data is safe in order to use healthcare services without the fear of data breach.
Notwithstanding all the anxieties surrounding cybersecurity, it is reasonable to suggest that the use of apps in healthcare will only grow. However, a different problem exists, which cannot be solved with assurances of privacy. All apps rely on strictly predetermined programming to provide assistance to its user. Yet, the range of medical conditions is so wide that it cannot be covered by a set of preprogrammed medical applications (Gogia et al., 2016). Moreover, many diagnoses can only be confirmed by physical tests, which is not possible with the contemporary communication technology.
Overall, the use of medical apps is a prospective development, but it should be strictly regulated. Patients and users have to understand that numerous issues cannot be solved by medical online application. It is not possible to substitute a doctor with an online app. Still, if the goal is to consult medical opinion on issues, which are not complex, such apps are a viable tool.
References
Bruce, C., Harrison, P., Giammattei, C., Desai, S. N., Sol, J. R., Jones, S., & Schwartz, R. (2020). Evaluating patient-centered mobile health technologies: Definitions, methodologies, and outcomes.JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 8(11), 1-11.
Gajarawala, S. N., & Pelkowski, J. N. (2021). Telehealth benefits and barriers.The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(2), 218-221.
Gogia, S. B., Maeder, A., Mars, M., Hartvigsen, G., Basu, A., & Abbott, P. (2016). Unintended consequences of tele health and their possible solutions.Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 25(01), 41-46.