The evolution of telehealth and how it benefits organisations

by Dr Low Kiang Wei, Medical Director (Singapore), Consulting and Medical Services, International SOS

Telehealth conceptual image.
Generated by Dream by WOMBO.

Telehealth became a game-changer during the pandemic, providing remote access to healthcare services. Many sought online medical consultations to reduce the risk of contracting the virus and this phenomenon is expected to continue. Research in June 2022 found that one in two Singaporeans expressed enthusiasm toward telehealth and adopting online medical consultation options.

Telehealth is set to evolve and expand this year, based on research by Select Hub, a data analyst and IT solutions company. With the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), integrated electronic health records systems, as well as augmented reality (AR) in healthcare services, this digital revolution has even expanded beyond the healthcare industry, with wearables now monitoring user vitals.

So how have tech developments in the telehealth scene improved healthcare capabilities, and how does this help organisations?

There are four main categories of telehealth, each with unique benefits that can support organisations in different ways, depending on the healthcare needs of their businesses and employees.

- Live videoconferencing, the most well-known type, offers a live, two-way video- based conference between patients and healthcare providers, eliminating commute time and stress. It also helps bring healthcare to rural areas that lack healthcare options compared to urban areas.

- Asynchronous video, also known as store-and-forward, collects clinical information of patients and sends it electronically to another site for evaluation. These include medical history, laboratory reports and image files of patients. Often, the information is sent to specialty doctors, offering guidance to general healthcare practitioners in areas with fewer specialists.

- Remote patient monitoring (RPM) collects patients’ data outside clinical settings and electronically sends it to a healthcare professional for review.

- Mobile health (mHealth) uses smart devices and health-based software apps to support continued healthcare. They help monitor vitals such as a diabetic person’s glucose levels and their daily water intake. This data can be used to encourage healthier lifestyles, and can even be integrated with users’ personal health records.

RPM is made possible through wearables, such as pulsometers and blood pressure cuffs that allow patients to check their vital signs and transmit the results to their doctors for analysis. RPM helps patients with chronic conditions to manage their health better, potentially reducing the need for urgent care and emergency department visits. Emergency responders can also use telehealth to diagnose cardiovascular and brain diseases through electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) tests respectively. This can help hospital staff to better prepare for the arrival of the patient and cuts down on time spent on these tests.

AI integration in telehealth services brings new capabilities, such as providing prompts to make it easier to take a patient’s medical history during a telehealth consultation. AI-based tools can also offer personalised reminders for medication, and recommend routine condition checks based on personal monitoring data.

International SOS, a health and security service firm, also makes use of mixed reality – a blend of physical and digital worlds to unlock natural three-dimensional interactions between humans, computers and the environment. International SOS’s usage of mixed reality and to- go medical kits demonstrates the benefits of technology in telehealth. This allows for benefits such as detailed medical imagery, on-site as well as remote surgery assistance by a specialist, and real-time diagnosis of a patient. To-go medical kits enhance telediagnosis and telementoring capabilities, building healthcare capacity through remote training, education, and support.

Telehealth can have significant benefits for organisations and their staff. One of the most notable benefits is promoting a healthier and less-stressed workforce. This is achieved by alleviating the stress caused by taking time off work for appointments. For instance, a study on 2,000 Americans by Zocdoc, an US-based telehealth company, found that nine in 10 of them would cancel or reschedule a preventive care appointment due to workplace pressures. Telehealth eliminates this issue by allowing employees to attend appointments virtually, without disrupting their work schedules.

Another benefit of telehealth services is the positive impact they can have on mental health. A study by Hatami et al. in June 2022 found that patients who make use of telehealth services scored lower for depression, anxiety, and stress than those who went for face-to- face consultations. This is particularly beneficial for individuals who may feel anxious or overwhelmed by in-person appointments. Moreover, the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, has shown that telehealth clinical outcomes are as good as, or even better than traditional on-site care outcomes.

Remote monitoring is especially beneficial for patients with chronic diseases as it helps by keeping them abreast of warning signals about their illnesses. This can lead to better disease management and improved overall health outcomes for selected groups of patients.

Potential concerns

Telehealth fraud is a significant challenge that has cost the Coalition of Insurance Fraud between US$25 billion to US$35 billion in the US alone. As telehealth services continue to grow, efforts to prevent and detect fraud must be increased. These efforts including measures such as multifactor authentication and monitoring for fraudulent activities.

Ensuring the security of telehealth services is crucial for maintaining patient privacy and trust. Both healthcare providers and patients need to be educated on data privacy measures during telehealth consultations, such as secure video conferencing and data encryption. Providers must ensure that data access is restricted to authorised personnel only.

Telehealth adoption also faces challenges in terms of receptiveness and understanding, particularly among older populations. Providers must work to address barriers to adoption, such as providing user-friendly technology and clear communication about the benefits and use of telehealth services.

Telehealth offers great promise in transforming healthcare delivery and improving patients’ outcomes. As the industry continues to evolve, it is important for organisations to take a calculated approach in adapting telehealth services for their businesses and employees. They need to carefully evaluate their options and address potential challenges to ensure a successful implementation. By doing so, they can reap the benefits of telehealth and provide more accessible and convenient care for their employees.