Rumah Sehat Rakyat (LaporSehat)
Background
Self-management (e.g. disease monitoring, medication intake, decision making, lifestyle modifications) enhances patients’ autonomy and sense of control over the disease, and it is considered one of the most important factors in ensuring health prevention and promotion. Digital health technologies (DHT), such as web-based solutions, eHealth, and mHealth (i.e. mobile apps), are promising, patient-centered, and cost-effective tools that offer the possibility of self-management of patients (e.g. improve disease monitoring, increase adherence, promote healthy lifestyles, and improve health-related behaviors). DHT has been associated with improved accessibility and efficiency of healthcare, along with substantial improvements in independent living, adherence, and quality of life.
Healthcare
Healthcare through telehealth allows a provider to consult with patients remotely through electronic and telecommunication technologies. Prior to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), telehealth services were, generally, only used and paid for in limited circumstances; however, in response to the PHE, the need for telehealth services accelerated due to quarantine, shelter-in-place, and stay-at-home restrictions implemented to reduce COVID-19 exposure and community spread. Subsequently, most federal, state, and private payers introduced flexibilities in telehealth policies during the PHE, which allowed for an increase in access to healthcare when traditional office visits were not feasible.
Telehealth vs Telemedicine
Telehealth:
Definition: Telehealth is the exchange of health information between a healthcare practitioner and a patient through electronic and telecommunications technologies (e.g., video conferencing, wireless communications, or store-and-forward imaging) to address the patient’s health remotely.
Scope: Although telehealth is sometimes referred to as telemedicine, telehealth encompasses a broader scope of remote healthcare services compared to telemedicine.
Services Provided: Telehealth can be used to provide remote non-clinical services, such as long-term home monitoring, health coaching or education, sharing health information, behavioral modification, and timely feedback.
Telemedicine:
Definition: Telemedicine is specific to providing remote clinical services.
Service Focus: Telemedicine services are more focused on providing remote clinical services, such as diagnosis, medical consultations, and remote medical care management.
Scope: Telemedicine is more focused on clinical aspects and diagnosis, and is generally used in the context of providing remote medical care.
Telehealth
Telehealth allows a healthcare provider to offer care for their patients primarily using electronic and telecommunications technologies via a computer, tablet, or phone for patient-provider information exchange and remote monitoring. When delivering care via telehealth, healthcare providers use telecommunications technology to remotely provide access to medical care, including assessments, diagnoses, and health information.
Telehealth allows health care providers to:
- Increase continuity of care
- Extend access to care beyond normal hours
- Reduce patient and provider travel burden
- Help overcome clinician shortages, especially among rural and other underserved populations
- Provide support for patients managing chronic health conditions
- Screen patients with symptoms of COVID-19 and refer as appropriate
- Enable patients who are vulnerable to COVID-19 to continue receiving medical care safely
- Help stop the spread of infectious diseases
Sources
Department of Health and Human. (2023). Telehealth for Providers: What You Need to Know.
Kalaitzaki, A., Rovithis, M., Dimitropoulos, A., Koukouli, S., Linardakis, M., Katsiri, E., … & Stavropoulou, A. (2023). Promoting self-management and independent living of older individuals with chronic diseases through technology: A study of self-reported needs, priorities, and preferences. Medicina, 59(8), 1493.
Shah, N.D., Hom, J., Ahuja, N., Hernandez-Boussard, T. (2023). Exploring fraud, waste and abuse within telehealth. Stanford Medicine.
