The main difference between telemedicine and telehealth is that telemedicine only involves remote clinical services, while telehealth involves both non-clinical services as well as clinical services.
Both telemedicine and telehealth refer to the use of modern technology to receive medical care. They aim to make healthcare more accessible and cost-effective for those who live in remote areas. Although these two terms are very similar, there is a slight difference between telemedicine and telehealth as telehealth involves a broader scope than telemedicine. In fact, telemedicine can be described as a subset of telehealth.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Telemedicine
– Definition, Features
2. What is Telehealth
– Definition, Features
3. Relationship – Telemedicine and Telehealth
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Telemedicine and Telehealth
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Interactive Medicine, Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth, Telemedicine
What is Telemedicine
Telemedicine is the use of technology (computers, phone, video, messaging, etc.) by health professionals to diagnose and treat patients in remote areas. The WHO (World Health Organization) describes telemedicine as “healing from a distance”. Through telemedicine, doctors and patients can share information in real-time from one computer/phone screen to another. Medical professionals can also read reports, capture readings from faraway medical devices, make diagnoses, and prescribe treatments without meeting patients face-to-face. Therefore, this allows patients to consult a doctor at the comfort of their home, without travelling long distances or waiting for appointments. Overall, telemedicine makes healthcare cost-effective, more accessible, and increase patient engagement.
There are three common types of telemedicine as interactive medicine, store and forward, and remote patient monitoring. Interactive medicine helps patients and doctors to communicate in real-time while maintaining HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance while the store and forward allows sharing patient information with a health professional in another location. Remote patient monitoring, on the other hand, allows remote caregivers to monitor patients that live at home by using mobile medical devices to collect data (e.g., measuring blood sugar or blood pressure).
What is Telehealth
Telehealth is the use of information and communication technology to access health care services remotely and manage health care. Telehealth involves a broad range of technologies and services. Unlike telemedicine which only includes remote clinical services, telehealth also offers non-clinical services, like administrative meetings, medical education, and provider training in addition to clinical services. The World Health Organizations’ definition of telehealth includes “surveillance, health promotion and public health functions.”
Given below are some examples of activities included in telehealth.
- Patients using an app to estimate how much insulin they need based on their diet and exercise level
- Patients using online patient portals to check their test results, schedule appointments, and request prescription refills
- Ordering testing supplies and medications online
- Patients receiving email or phone reminders when they need vaccinations or other preventive care
Relationship Between Telemedicine and Telehealth
Telehealth involves a broader scope than telemedicine. In fact, we can describe telemedicine as a subset of telehealth. Despite their differences, both aim to make healthcare more accessible and cost-effective for those who live in remote areas.
Difference Between Telemedicine and Telehealth
Definition
Telemedicine is the use of information and digital technology by health professionals to diagnose and treat patients in remote areas, while telehealth is the use of information and communication technologies to access health care services remotely and manage health care.
Areas
Unlike telemedicine which only includes remote clinical services, telehealth also offers non-clinical services, like administrative meetings, medical education, and provider training in addition to clinical services.
Conclusion
Although telemedicine and telehealth are very similar terms, telehealth involves a broader scope than telemedicine. The main difference between telemedicine and telehealth is that telemedicine only involves remote clinical services, while telehealth involves both non-clinical services as well as clinical services. In fact, we can describe telemedicine as a subset of telehealth.
Reference:
1. “Telehealth: Technology Meets Health Care.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 15 May 2020.
2. “What Is Telemedicine?” VSee, 20 Jan. 2021.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Telemedicine Consult” By Intel Free Press (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Medical-campaign-app-mobile-app” (CC0) via Pixabay
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