Healthcare in the Future

Article transcribed from AARP Issues Blog "Healthcare In The Future" by Seniors Blue Book Staff

Imagine a near future when many of our healthcare needs can be met from the comfort of the living room couch. Doctors who "visit" via computer; treatment options that once required checking into a hospital; and prescriptions filled by email--they're all on the way.

AARP's CHIEF Operation Officer Tom Nelson delivered the keynote address at "Healthcare Unbound," a conference on the convergence of consumer and healthcare technologies. Nelson addressed the burgeoning field of telehealth, which uses technology to streamline healthcare efficiency, and tele-homecare, which enables patients to receive their care at home. Nelson told the healthcare workers assembled:

"In gerontology, we use the term "intimacy at a distance." Sounds like a contradiction in terms. But this is what happens when baby boomers call their parents on the telephone. It's what happens when grandparents master the art of email in order to stay in touch with their grandkids. It's what happens when technology brings people together. "

Telehealth is a new tool healthcare providers can use to assess, monitor and educate clients in their place of residence. Providers can conduct in-home visits via the telephone by gathering important information from the client regarding their health status, medication compliance, activities of daily living or other information.

Telehealth allows healthcare professionals to maintain consistent contact with clients at a reduced cost compared to face-to-face encounters or in-home visits. In healthcare, early intervention is important for avoiding or reducing emergency room visits and re-hospitalizations. The goal of phone calls and remote monitoring is to identify health status changes before they cause a trip to the hospital or ER .

Across many industries, there is significant pressure on providers to lower costs and maintain high quality, while increasing client satisfaction. In order to meet these challenges, providers are implementing telehealth technologies.

Benefits of Telehelath include earlier recognition and intervention, improved quality of life, decreased ER visits and hospital re-admissions, patient and care giver support, reduced anxiety, increased compliance in medication and treatments, improved empowerment and self management skills, and increased independence.

Organizations that use telehealth technology include: Home health agencies, case management companies, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living providers, personal and companion care companies, behavioral health providers, rehabilitation clinics, hospitals insurance companies, schools, and state agencies.

Studies indicate that remote monitoring with telehealth service is extremely effective for supporting the care of those requiring close monitoring by their families and/or healthcare provider. These new technologies are important tools for assisting the elderly and chronically ill through daily contact, assessment, and early intervention of health related problems. Hopefully, they will provide a much-needed safety net for seniors as they seek to age safely and independently at home.