Introduction
The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is an association that is dedicated to advancing the use of telemedicine. Telemedicine is a practice whereby a physician from a particular location uses a telecommunication structure to provide healthcare services to a client at a long distance (Schieltz & Wacker, 2020). Telehealth broadly uses electronic and telecommunication technology and services to deliver care to patients at a distance. This paper will discuss how telemedicine and telehealth are critical to nurses and patients.
Discussion
The ATA aims to bring together various entities from traditional medical practice, educational health centers, technology, and telecommunication institutions, among others, through professional and moral enhancement in healthcare distribution to overcome blockades of telemedicine. ATA seeks to improve the rate of secure and successful telehealth and telemedicine (Schutte, 2020). ATA has put extra effort into creating practice strategies designed by experts from the field and different tactical shareholders for telemedicine that will help improve science and assure the equivalent provision of care to patients. The guidelines assist physicians in pursuing a complete sequence of actions to deliver authentic and safe medical care based on patient desires, accessible resources, and existing data. ATA generally ensures that every sick person safely, affordably, and appropriately can access care when and where needed empowering the system to serve extra individuals efficiently.
Telehealth attaches patients to appropriate health practitioners for consultation regarding their conditions. The clients then get a diagnosis and prescriptions and receive treatment. Additionally, telehealth expands efficacies, reduces costs, and enables health providers to deliver the best to patients (Schieltz & Wacker, 2020). This ensures increased convenient care for aged patients and regular connection with practitioners. Telemedicine and telehealth are helpful to the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) because patients and practitioners are regularly connected, ensuring efficiency in care delivery. Telehealth is most important in nursing because of improved access, efficiency, cost saving, and quality improvement.
The type of telehealth the DNP-prepared nurse plans to utilize in future practice is Remote Patient Monitoring. In this case, the gathering, assessment, and communication of personal health information from the patient to the practitioner include the use of wireless devices, sensors, entrenched health monitors, mobile applications, and Android phones (Chaudhry, 2020). This type supports the patient’s continued monitoring and long-lasting sickness management that can be synchronous or asynchronous, reliant on the sick individual needs. The use of emerging technology help in early disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment, reducing death cases.
An article drafted by Balestra and other authors draws various significant legal implications relevant to the type of telehealth application the DNP-prepared nurse plans in future practice. An example is licensing and credentialing, whereby a practitioner is only licensed by a state where the nursing practice is being carried out (Balestra, 2017). National Council of State Boards of Nursing permits nursing personnel to have a multistate certificate with honor, which allows them to practice in other compressed countries. Efforts are put on board to streamline the licensing process for nurses practicing across the world. The board plans to make licenses more portable and the requirements consistent to train the nurses well (Balestra, 2017). Telehealth has rules and regulations, and nurses working via telemedicine can be at high risk for legal action if one does not possess the necessary licenses, certificates, and training.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ATA has improved access to patients by practitioners, therefore, ensuring effectiveness in service provision. Telemedicine and telehealth play an essential role in ensuring that there is a good relationship between the health care providers and the patients. Emerging technologies such as android phones and entrenched health monitors, among others, have helped in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of serious diseases, leading to reduced patient deaths.
References
Balestra, M. (2017). Telehealth and legal implications for nurse practitioners. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 33-39.
Chaudhry, S. (2020). Appraising telemedicine. IP International Journal of Comprehensive and Advanced Pharmacology, 5(3), 138-142.
Schieltz, K. M., & Wacker, D. P. (2020). Functional assessment and function‐based treatment delivered via telehealth: A brief summary. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(3), 1242-1258.
Schutte, R., S. (2020). Telehealth, telemedicine, and obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 15(3), 359-375.