Undoubtedly, telemedicine is becoming extremely popular nowadays due to the developments in the field of technology. Besides, a multitude of individuals lacks the time to visit hospitals and wait for their turn. Moreover, it seems to be extremely useful for people living in remote geographic areas or being detained in such institutions as prisons (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). In general, healthcare providers encounter more and more patients who have never practiced telemedicine or even do it regularly.
Unfortunately, there are numerous challenges associated with telemedicine, which are incredibly difficult to handle. For instance, Varshneya (2018) notes that privacy concerns, expensive technology, service awareness, patients’ lack of technical skills, reimbursement, and poor integration are among the most considerable risks. Even though the author offers various ways to deal with the issues, they require an extreme amount of time, effort, and money.
Furthermore, it is essential to concentrate on the most evident benefits and challenges. On the one hand, the process of patient care becomes much more convenient due to telemedicine. Unfortunately, numerous people lack time, resources, or opportunities to visit hospitals; thus, they need some alternatives. On the other hand, data safety is among the gravest concerns. It seems nearly impossible to build completely secure networks in the modern world.
Finally, I believe this healthcare technology trend is the most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice. Waller and Stotler (2018) emphasize that “industry projections for the global compounded annual growth rate of telemedicine are between 13 and 27%, with valuation growing to over 20 billion US dollars in the next several years” (p. 54). Telemedicine will grow in the future, reshaping the whole healthcare system.
References
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Varshneya, R. (2018). 7 telemedicine concerns and how to overcome them. The University of Arizona.
Waller, M., & Stotler, C. (2018). Telemedicine: A primer. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 18(10), 54-62.