Tele-health, tele-medicine or digital medicine is a relatively new concept in health care provision and its perceived as a useful mode of managing patients specially on remote locations. As the technology is evolving the need arises to explore telehealth as part of the holistic care modality. There are significant number of literature available on tele-health but most of this is focused on either specialty based or one or two aspects of its care provision. In this article the aim is to focus on the opinion generated on four main building blocks of telehealth at present time; the perception of health care staff, the perception of patients, quality of internet and technology, and whether its cost effectiveness in the two years of literature.
Ford S, Buscemi J, Hirko K, Laitner M, Newton RL, Jonassaint C, et al. Withdrawn as duplicate: Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) urges Congress to ensure efforts to increase and enhance broadband internet access in rural areas. Translational Behavioral Medicine. 2023;13(6):420–2.
2.
Kadel R, Evans-Lacko S, Tramarin A, Stopazzolo G. Cost-Effectiveness of Tele-Video-Consultation for the Neuro-Surgical Emergency Management at the General Hospitals in Italy. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 12.
3.
Khanna M, Gowda GS, Bagevadi VI, Gupta A, Kulkarni K, Shyam RPS, et al. Feasibility and Utility of Tele-Neurorehabilitation Service in India: Experience from a Quaternary Center. Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice. 2018;09(04):541–4.
4.
Fasterholdt I, Gerstrøm M, Rasmussen BSB, Yderstræde KB, Kidholm K, Pedersen KM. Cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring of diabetic foot ulcer patients. Health Informatics Journal. 2018;24(3):245–58.
5.
Ellis MJ, Boles S, Derksen V, Dawyduk B, Amadu A, Stelmack K, et al. Evaluation of a pilot paediatric concussion telemedicine programme for northern communities in Manitoba. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2019;78(1):1573163.
6.
Jiang X, Ming WK, You JH. The Cost-Effectiveness of Digital Health Interventions on the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(6):e13166.
7.
Leath B, Dunn LW, Alsobrook A, Darden ML. Enhancing Rural Population Health Care Access and Outcomes Through the Telehealth EcoSystemTM Model. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics. 10(2).
8.
Gyselaers W, Lanssens D, Perry H, Khalil A. Mobile Health Applications for Prenatal Assessment and Monitoring. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2019;25(5):615–23.
9.
Varghese FP, VandenBos GR. Clinical apps and public service settings: Innovations, diverse applications, and limits. Psychological Services. 16(2):183–7.
10.
dos Santos A de F, Mata-Machado ATG da, Melo M do CB de, Fonseca Sobrinho D, Araújo LL, Silva ÉA, et al. Implementation of Telehealth Resources in Primary Care in Brazil and Its Association with Quality of Care. Telemedicine and e-Health. 2019;25(10):996–1004.
11.
Johansson A, Esbjörnsson M, Nordqvist P, Wiinberg S, Andersson R, Ivarsson B, et al. Dataset on multichannel connectivity and video transmission carried on commercial 3G/4G networks in southern Sweden. Data in Brief. 2019;25:104192.
12.
Sim I. Mobile Devices and Health. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(10):956–68.
13.
Loncar-Turukalo T, Zdravevski E, Machado da Silva J, Chouvarda I, Trajkovik V. Literature on Wearable Technology for Connected Health: Scoping Review of Research Trends, Advances, and Barriers. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(9):e14017.
14.
Gilboa Y, Maeir T, Karni S, Eisenberg ME, Liebergall M, Schwartz I, et al. Effectiveness of a tele-rehabilitation intervention to improve performance and reduce morbidity for people post hip fracture - study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics. 2019;19(1).
15.
Venkata HS, Alsadoon A, Prasad PWC, Alsadoon OH, Haddad S, Deva A, et al. A novel mixed reality in breast and constructive jaw surgical tele-presence. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine. 2019;177:253–68.
16.
Stefano GB, Kream RM. The Micro-Hospital: 5G Telemedicine-Based Care. Medical Science Monitor Basic Research. 24:103–4.
17.
Winter B, Wendt M, Waldschmidt C, Rozanski M, Kunz A, Geisler F, et al. 4G versus 3G-enabled telemedicine in prehospital acute stroke care. International Journal of Stroke. 2019;14(6):620–9.
18.
Wilcock AD, Rose S, Busch AB, Huskamp HA, Uscher-Pines L, Landon B, et al. Association Between Broadband Internet Availability and Telemedicine Use. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2019;179(11):1580.
19.
Drake C, Zhang Y, Chaiyachati KH, Polsky D. The Limitations of Poor Broadband Internet Access for Telemedicine Use in Rural America: An Observational Study. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2019;171(5):382.
20.
da Costa CB, Peralta F da S, Ferreira de Mello ALS. How Has Teledentistry Been Applied in Public Dental Health Services? An Integrative Review. Telemedicine and e-Health. 2020;26(7):945–54.
21.
Ando H, Ashcroft-Kelso H, Halhead R, Chakrabarti B, Young CA, Cousins R, et al. Experience of telehealth in people with motor neurone disease using noninvasive ventilation. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. 2021;16(5):490–6.
22.
Fagerlund AJ, Holm IM, Zanaboni P. General practitioners’ perceptions towards the use of digital health services for citizens in primary care: a qualitative interview study. BMJ Open. 2019;9(5):e028251.
23.
Chudner I, Drach-Zahavy A, Karkabi K. Choosing Video Instead of In-Clinic Consultations in Primary Care in Israel: Discrete Choice Experiment Among Key Stakeholders—Patients, Primary Care Physicians, and Policy Makers. Value in Health. 2019;22(10):1187–96.
24.
Flumignan CDQ, Rocha AP da, Pinto ACPN, Milby KMM, Batista MR, Atallah ÁN, et al. What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about telemedicine for healthcare? Sao Paulo Medical Journal. 137(2):184–92.
25.
Chellaiyan V, Nirupama A, Taneja N. Telemedicine in India: Where do we stand? Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2019;8(6):1872.
26.
Bohingamu Mudiyanselage S, Stevens J, Watts JJ, Toscano J, Kotowicz MA, Steinfort CL, et al. Personalised telehealth intervention for chronic disease management: A pilot randomised controlled trial. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2019;25(6):343–52.
27.
Zhang X, Zaman B uz. Adoption mechanism of telemedicine in underdeveloped country. Health Informatics Journal. 2020;26(2):1088–103.
28.
Rochat L, Genton B. Telemedicine for health issues while abroad: interest and willingness to pay among travellers prior to departure. Journal of Travel Medicine. 2018;25(1).
29.
Walter S, Grunwald IQ, Helwig SA, Ragoschke-Schumm A, Kettner M, Fousse M, et al. Mobile Stroke Units - Cost-Effective or Just an Expensive Hype? Current Atherosclerosis Reports. 2018;20(10).
30.
Taylor L, Waller M, Portnoy JM. Telemedicine for Allergy Services to Rural Communities. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. 2019;7(8):2554–9.
31.
Barken TL, Söderhamn U, Thygesen E. A sense of belonging: A meta‐ethnography of the experience of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving care through telemedicine. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2019;75(12):3219–30.
32.
Fritzen K, Basinska K, Rubio-Almanza M, Nicolucci A, Kennon B, Vergès B, et al. Pan-European Economic Analysis to Identify Cost Savings for the Health Care Systems as a Result of Integrating Glucose Monitoring Based Telemedical Approaches Into Diabetes Management. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. 2019;13(6):1112–22.
33.
Haralambous B, Subramaniam S, Hwang K, Dow B, LoGiudice D. A narrative review of the evidence regarding the use of telemedicine to deliver video‐interpreting during dementia assessments for older people. Asia-Pacific Psychiatry. 2019;11(3).
34.
Krishnan A, Finkelstein EA, Levine E, Foley P, Askew S, Steinberg D, et al. A Digital Behavioral Weight Gain Prevention Intervention in Primary Care Practice: Cost and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(5):e12201.
35.
Chouvarda I, Maramis C, Livitckaia K, Trajkovik V, Burmaoglu S, Belani H, et al. Connected Health Services: Framework for an Impact Assessment. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(9):e14005.
36.
Greiwe J. Using Telemedicine in a Private Allergy Practice. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. 2019;7(8):2560–7.
37.
Del Hoyo J, Nos P, Bastida G, Faubel R, Muñoz D, Garrido-Marín A, et al. Telemonitoring of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (TECCU): Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(9):e15505.
38.
Halbert K, Bautista C. Telehealth Use to Promote Quality Outcomes and Reduce Costs in Stroke Care. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America. 2019;31(2):133–9.
39.
Alshahrani A, Stewart D, MacLure K. A systematic review of the adoption and acceptance of eHealth in Saudi Arabia: Views of multiple stakeholders. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2019;128:7–17.
40.
Olayiwola JN, Potapov A, Gordon A, Jurado J, Magana C, Knox M, et al. Electronic consultation impact from the primary care clinician perspective: Outcomes from a national sample. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2019;25(8):493–8.
41.
Begley BA, Martin J, Tufty GT, Suh DW. Evaluation of a Remote Telemedicine Screening System for Severe Retinopathy of Prematurity. Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus. 2019;56(3):157–61.
42.
Young JD, Abdel-Massih R, Herchline T, McCurdy L, Moyer KJ, Scott JD, et al. Infectious Diseases Society of America Position Statement on Telehealth and Telemedicine as Applied to the Practice of Infectious Diseases. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2019;68(9):1437–43.
43.
Shively NR, Moffa MA, Paul KT, Wodusky EJ, Schipani BA, Cuccaro SL, et al. Impact of a Telehealth-Based Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Community Hospital Health System. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020;71(3):539–45.
44.
Erridge S, Yeung DKT, Patel HRH, Purkayastha S. Telementoring of Surgeons: A Systematic Review. Surgical Innovation. 2019;26(1):95–111.
45.
Ellis MJ, Russell K. The Potential of Telemedicine to Improve Pediatric Concussion Care in Rural and Remote Communities in Canada. Frontiers in Neurology. 10.
46.
Rademacher NJ, Cole G, Psoter KJ, Kelen G, Fan JWZ, Gordon D, et al. Use of Telemedicine to Screen Patients in the Emergency Department: Matched Cohort Study Evaluating Efficiency and Patient Safety of Telemedicine. JMIR Medical Informatics. 7(2):e11233.
47.
Zachrison KS, Boggs KM, Hayden EM, Espinola JA, Camargo CA. Understanding Barriers to Telemedicine Implementation in Rural Emergency Departments. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2020;75(3):392–9.
48.
Dózsa C, Jankus K, Helter TM. Structural Changes in the Hungarian Healthcare System Between 2000 and 2017. Value in Health Regional Issues. 2019;19:92–8.
49.
Maia MR, Castela E, Pires A, Lapão LV. How to develop a sustainable telemedicine service? A Pediatric Telecardiology Service 20 years on - an exploratory study. BMC Health Services Research. 2019;19(1).
50.
Ownsworth T, Chambers S, Aitken JF, Foote M, Pinkham MB, Gordon LG, et al. Evaluation of a telehealth psychological support intervention for people with primary brain tumour and their family members: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. European Journal of Cancer Care. 2019;28(4).
51.
Kohler JE, Falcone RA, Fallat ME. Rural health, telemedicine and access for pediatric surgery. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2019;31(3):391–8.
52.
Negarandeh R, Zolfaghari M, Bashi N, Kiarsi M. Evaluating the Effect of Monitoring through Telephone (Tele-Monitoring) on Self-Care Behaviors and Readmission of Patients with Heart Failure after Discharge. Applied Clinical Informatics. 2019;10(02):261–8.
53.
Piao C, Terrault NA, Sarkar S. Telemedicine: An Evolving Field in Hepatology. Hepatology Communications. 2019;3(5):716–21.
54.
Lee TC, Kaiser TE, Alloway R, Woodle ES, Edwards MJ, Shah SA. Telemedicine Based Remote Home Monitoring After Liver Transplantation. Annals of Surgery. 2019;270(3):564–72.
55.
Stotts MJ, Grischkan JA, Khungar V. Improving cirrhosis care: The potential for telemedicine and mobile health technologies. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2019;25(29):3849–56.
56.
Jiménez Galán G, Alia Alia C, Vegue González M, García Berriguete RM�, Fernández González F, Fernández Rodríguez CM, et al. The contribution of telemedicine to hepatitis C elimination in a correctional facility. Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas. 2019;111.
57.
McCarthy M, Leigh G, Arthur-Kelly M. Telepractice delivery of family-centred early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing: A scoping review. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2019;25(4):249–60.
58.
Roth DE, Ramtekkar U, Zeković-Roth S. Telepsychiatry. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2019;28(3):377–95.
59.
Herasevich V, Subramanian S. Tele-ICU Technologies. Critical Care Clinics. 2019;35(3):427–38.
60.
Kopec IC. Impact of Intensive Care Unit Telemedicine on Outcomes. Critical Care Clinics. 2019;35(3):439–49.
61.
Bender W, Hiddleson CA, Buchman TG. Intensive Care Unit Telemedicine. Critical Care Clinics. 2019;35(3):497–509.
62.
Nadar M, Jouvet P, Tucci M, Toledano B, Cyr M, Sicotte C. The implementation of a synchronous telemedicine platform linking off-site pediatric intensivists and on-site fellows in a pediatric intensive care unit: A feasibility study. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2019;129:219–25.
63.
Garne Holm K, Brødsgaard A, Zachariassen G, Smith AC, Clemensen J. Parent perspectives of neonatal tele-homecare: A qualitative study. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2019;25(4):221–9.
64.
Marcolino MS, Maia LM, Oliveira JAQ, Melo LDR, Pereira BLD, Andrade-Junior DF, et al. Impact of telemedicine interventions on mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Heart. 2019;105(19):1479–86.
65.
Prada C, Izquierdo N, Traipe R, Figueroa C. Results of a New Telemedicine Strategy in Traumatology and Orthopedics. Telemedicine and e-Health. 2020;26(5):665–70.
66.
Giorgis AT, Alemu AM, Arora S, Gessesse GW, Melka F, Woldeyes A, et al. Results From the First Teleglaucoma Pilot Project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Journal of Glaucoma. 2019;28(8):701–7.
67.
McCord SA, Lynch MG, Maa AY. Diagnosis of retinal detachments by a tele-ophthalmology screening program. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2019;25(3):190–2.
68.
Mousa AY, Broce M, Monnett S, Davis E, McKee B, Lucas BD. Results of Telehealth Electronic Monitoring for Post Discharge Complications and Surgical Site Infections following Arterial Revascularization with Groin Incision. Annals of Vascular Surgery. 2019;57:160–9.
69.
Caver KA, Shearer EM, Burks DJ, Perry K, De Paul NF, McGinn MM, et al. Telemental health training in the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2020;76(6):1108–24.
70.
Scott Kruse C, Karem P, Shifflett K, Vegi L, Ravi K, Brooks M. Evaluating barriers to adopting telemedicine worldwide: A systematic review. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2018;24(1):4–12.
71.
Asiedu GB, Fang JL, Harris AM, Colby CE, Carroll K. Health Care Professionals’ Perspectives on Teleneonatology Through the Lens of Normalization Process Theory. Health Science Reports. 2019;2(2).
72.
Huang EY, Knight S, Guetter CR, Davis CH, Moller M, Slama E, et al. Telemedicine and telementoring in the surgical specialties: A narrative review. The American Journal of Surgery. 2019;218(4):760–6.
73.
Badowski DM, Rossler KL, Gill-Gembala L (Tish). Telehealth Simulation With Motivational Interviewing: Impact on Learning and Practice. Journal of Nursing Education. 2019;58(4):221–4.
74.
Li WW, Zhong J. A REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN IMPROVING TYPE-2-DIABETES MANAGEMENT IN CHINESE AMERICANS. Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal. 4(1):20–33.
75.
Klocek A, Šmahelová M, Knapová L, Elavsky S. GPs’ perspectives on eHealth use in the Czech Republic: a cross-sectional mixed-design survey study. BJGP Open. 2019;3(3):bjgpopen19X101655.
76.
Beule A. Telemedizinische Methoden in der Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde. Laryngo-Rhino-Otologie. 2019;98(S 01):S129–72.
77.
Khairat S, Haithcoat T, Liu S, Zaman T, Edson B, Gianforcaro R, et al. Advancing health equity and access using telemedicine: a geospatial assessment. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. 2019;26(8–9):796–805.
78.
Robb JF, Hyland MH, Goodman AD. Comparison of telemedicine versus in-person visits for persons with multiple sclerosis: A randomized crossover study of feasibility, cost, and satisfaction. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 2019;36:101258.
79.
Latifi R, Parsikia A, Boci A, Doarn CR, Merrell RC. Increased Access to Care through Telemedicine in Albania: An Analysis of 2,724 Patients. Telemedicine and e-Health. 2020;26(2):164–75.
80.
Mosconi P, Radrezza S, Lettieri E, Santoro E. Use of Health Apps and Wearable Devices: Survey Among Italian Associations for Patient Advocacy. JMIR mHealth and uHealth. 7(1):e10242.
81.
Khairat S, Liu S, Zaman T, Edson B, Gianforcaro R. Factors Determining Patients’ Choice Between Mobile Health and Telemedicine: Predictive Analytics Assessment. JMIR mHealth and uHealth. 7(6):e13772.
82.
Loncar-Turukalo T, Zdravevski E, Machado da Silva J, Chouvarda I, Trajkovik V. Literature on Wearable Technology for Connected Health: Scoping Review of Research Trends, Advances, and Barriers. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(9):e14017.
83.
Tasneem S, Kim A, Bagheri A, Lebret J. Telemedicine Video Visits for patients receiving palliative care: A qualitative study. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®. 2019;36(9):789–94.
84.
Ayatollahi H, Ghalandar Abadi M, Hemmat M. Web and mobile-based technologies for monitoring high-risk pregnancies. BMJ Health & Care Informatics. 2019;26(1):e000025.
85.
Khalil A, Perry H, Lanssens D, Gyselaers W. Telemonitoring for hypertensive disease in pregnancy. Expert Review of Medical Devices. 2019;16(8):653–61.
86.
Castaneda P, Ellimoottil C. Current use of telehealth in urology: a review. World Journal of Urology. 2020;38(10):2377–84.
87.
Funderburk CD, Batulis NS, Zelones JT, Fisher AH, Prock KL, Markov NP, et al. Innovations in the Plastic Surgery Care Pathway: Using Telemedicine for Clinical Efficiency and Patient Satisfaction. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 2019;144(2):507–16.
88.
Wang CD, Rajaratnam T, Stall B, Hawa R, Sockalingam S. Exploring the Effects of Telemedicine on Bariatric Surgery Follow-up: a Matched Case Control Study. Obesity Surgery. 2019;29(8):2704–6.
89.
Begley K, O’Brien K, Packard K, Castillo S, Haddad AR, Johnson K, et al. Impact of Interprofessional Telehealth Case Activities on Students’ Perceptions of Their Collaborative Care Abilities. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2019;83(4):6880.
90.
Rezaian MM, Brent LH, Roshani S, Ziaee M, Sobhani F, Dorbeigi A, et al. Rheumatology Care Using Telemedicine. Telemedicine and e-Health. 2020;26(3):335–40.
91.
Qian W, Lam TTN, Lam HHW, Li CK, Cheung YT. Telehealth Interventions for Improving Self-Management in Patients With Hemophilia: Scoping Review of Clinical Studies. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(7):e12340.
92.
Sproch LE, Anderson KP. Clinician-Delivered Teletherapy for Eating Disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2019;42(2):243–52.
93.
Lee JY, Chan CKY, Chua SS, Ng CJ, Paraidathathu T, Lee KKC, et al. Telemonitoring and Team-Based Management of Glycemic Control on People with Type 2 Diabetes: a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2020;35(1):87–94.
94.
Zakaria A, Maurer T, Su G, Amerson E. Impact of teledermatology on the accessibility and efficiency of dermatology care in an urban safety-net hospital: A pre-post analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2019;81(6):1446–52.
95.
Moye J. Clinical Applications of Technology in Aging. Clinical Gerontologist. 2019;42(1):1–2.
96.
Gillespie SM, Wasserman EB, Wood NE, Wang H, Dozier A, Nelson D, et al. High-Intensity Telemedicine Reduces Emergency Department Use by Older Adults With Dementia in Senior Living Communities. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2019;20(8):942–6.
97.
Wu T, Deng Z, Chen Z, Zhang D, Wu X, Wang R. Predictors of Patients’ Loyalty Toward Doctors on Web-Based Health Communities: Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 21(9):e14484.
98.
Spear KL, Auinger P, Simone R, Dorsey ER, Francis J. Patient Views on Telemedicine for Parkinson Disease. Journal of Parkinson’s Disease. 2019;9(2):401–4.
99.
Friedman DI, Rajan B, Seidmann A. A randomized trial of telemedicine for migraine management. Cephalalgia. 2019;39(12):1577–85.
100.
Zhu Y, Gu X, Xu C. Effectiveness of telemedicine systems for adults with heart failure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Heart Failure Reviews. 2020;25(2):231–43.
Citation
Copyright
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
