Findings from Texas State University Broaden Understanding of Telemedicine (Telemedicine and Health Policy: a Systematic Review)

2021 MAY 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators publish new report on Telemedicine. According to news reporting from San Marcos, Texas, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Telemedicine diagnoses and treats patients remotely via telecommunications technology all over the world. Telemedicine becomes more prevalent as providers recognize the benefits, patients receive increased access and payers see the reduction in cost of care.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Texas State University, “Telemedicine studies have shown success in limiting geographical constraints, time spent, and costs incurred by patients with positive health outcomes across medical specialties. The aim of this review is to evaluate the implications of telemedicine and health policies. An assessment of the literature in four databases was made on content germane to health policy implications of telemedicine. From the results of the search, 48 publications were kept for analysis. The fifteen facilitators mentioned most often were increased access, increased convenience, improved population health, care enabled through mobile technology, self-efficacy, increased patient-to provider communication, cost advantages, efficacy of modality, increased health outcomes, reaches developing countries, increased quality, a positive previous experience, and a secure means of care. The twelve barriers mentioned most often were the increased cost to providers, patient privacy, technical literacy, state licensing, data security, socioeconomics, limited reimbursements, issues of interoperability, patient safety, less personal means of care, misaligned incentives, and ethical concerns. Telemedicine has the potential for growth and adoption, however, there are several implications and barriers of health policy surrounding telemedicine that make it difficult to adopt. Policies will likely encourage and incentivize its spread and use.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Future research should focus on standardization of telemedicine and new policies and incentives that encourage its use.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Telemedicine and Health Policy: a Systematic Review. Health Policy and Technology, 2021;10(1):209-229. Health Policy and Technology can be contacted at: Elsevier Sci Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, Oxon, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Health Policy and Technology - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/health-policy-and-technology/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Clemens Scott Kruse, Texas State University, School of Health Administration, 601 Univ Dr, Encino Hall, Room 250, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States. Additional authors for this research include Kelly Williams, John Bohls and Waleed Shamsi.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlpt.2020.10.006. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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