Telehealth
We're living through a true revolution in the delivery of healthcare and wellness services. It’s being driven by an array of forces including baby boom demographics, the very clear trend for “aging in place,” and many elements in the overall national healthcare crisis.
Surgery and other forms of treatment, various therapies and support just a few years ago were only provided in medical, clinical or other care settings. Now they’re increasingly delivered remotely and in a “person-centered” point of care. Evolving communications technologies, electronic health records and innovative equipment are now making it possible to deliver many types of "healthcare anywhere."
As this new paradigm expands, delivery is taking place at many different sites - home, work, school, retail and community facilities. It’s also increasingly available when we’re mobile, whether only a short distance out in the yard or neighborhood or thousands of miles away.
Our homes are becoming very prominent sites in this revolution. Home-based Web connections link us with clinics for addressing many general healthcare issues. We’re returning there after very rapid release from hospital acute care or same-day outpatient procedures. We’re living there far longer with major chronic health conditions. Healthcare is very definitely “coming home.”
As with home accessible/universal design, specialized language is used in this rapidly evolving field. "Telehealth," "telemedicine," "home telehealth" (also called "telehomecare") and "mobile telehealth" each encompasses specific goals, equipment, participants and delivery strategies. To learn more about them and the field, click on:
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