Strategic Management of Telehealth

Telehealth is a health care service that is delivered by the use of the telecommunication technologies that is, use of telephone also video conferencing. Application of telehealth to home health agency, the outcomes studies and demonstration projects of a resent research indicate that home telehealth can improve clinical outcomes as well as cost effectiveness when used correctly.

For clients’ safety, there are three main goals to integrate telehealth into the client’s plan of home care:

  1. Identify early exacerbation of the client’s condition
  2. Reduce unscheduled nurse visits
  3. Decrease emergency room visits

Home telehealth connects the clinician and client remotely to maintain contact and yet minimize extra visits and cost. Remote vital sign monitoring, also called telemonitoring, allows clinicians to identify early changes in vital data (clients health status changes) enables the clinician to intervene before the client status gets worse. Identification of early signs and symptoms of exacerbation is the key goal of home telehealth This technology offers a method for staying connected with the patient and still maintaining frequent visits (Prince, 1998). Thus, it is not intended to replace nurse visits; rather, it is intended to enhance and promote better communication between the nurse and client.

Impact of telehealth to US healthcare system is that is it tries to solve problems of inequality to access healthcare in the US healthcare system by the US citizens. Telehealth technology that is placed with the appropriate client promotes active participation in care Thus, it encourages client participation also promotes self-care learning, which greatly facilities discharge from care with all goals met.

The MHJS has to perform strategy evaluation to measure its success in the formulation and implementation of the new service (telehealth) which is a continuous process which should be included in each case of strategic management.

The system of telehealth technology collects information through physiologic monitors connected to a computer in the home (Arbo, 2009). Assessment data are then sent through telephone or videophones (to allow for visual as well as audio communication) gadgets to the health attendants to communicate with the patient to obtain additional information. Steps in implementing telehealth services are:

  1. Determine the needs of the community
  2. Decisions made about the application such as; who will use it, where, when and for what purpose.
  3. Build health infrastructure; ensuring that the funding, technology, personnel, management, policies, and procedures are in place.
  4. Implementation needs to fulfil the expected outcomes.
  5. Make sure that the service is sustained

Development of telecommunication technology has created new roles for nurses, particularly in home care settings. Nurses say that telehealth technology has improved access to and availability of health care services for older adults, especially those who are homebound or live in rural, remote, or underserved areas (Savage, 2010).

The success of this service should be accomplished through continued evaluation of the plan to make necessary changes to realign the strategy with community needs as well as the vision of the business. Evaluation is aimed at improving evidence based telecare by proper practices to improve the management and services.

Factors have to consider when introducing this new service:

  1. Attitudes: which include; fears, willingness to take a risk, and willingness to try new things.
  2. Cultural factors: for instance; expectations around gender roles and the socioeconomic status of the people involved.
  3. Knowledge/skills: for instance; awareness of the potential of telehealth and ability to use the equipment.
  4. Relationships between or within communities for instance: cooperation, consulting with communities to determine their needs, organizations granting users autonomy over the

Telehealth is a health care service that is delivered by the use of the telecommunication technologies that is, use of telephone also video conferencing. Application of telehealth to home health agency, the outcomes studies and demonstration projects of a resent research indicate that home telehealth can improve clinical outcomes as well as cost effectiveness when used correctly.

For clients’ safety, there are three main goals to integrate telehealth into the client’s plan of home care:

  • Identify early exacerbation of the client’s condition
  • Reduce unscheduled nurse visits
  • Decrease emergency room visits

Home telehealth connects the clinician and client remotely to maintain contact and yet minimize extra visits and cost. Remote vital sign monitoring, also called telemonitoring, allows clinicians to identify early changes in vital data (clients health status changes) enables the clinician to intervene before the client status gets worse. Identification of early signs and symptoms of exacerbation is the key goal of home telehealth. This technology offers a method for staying connected with the patient and still maintaining frequent visits (Bashshur, et al. 2007). Thus, it is not intended to replace nurse visits; rather, it is intended to enhance and promote better communication between the nurse and client.

Impact of telehealth to US healthcare system is that is it tries to solve problems of inequality to access healthcare in the US healthcare system by the US citizens. Telehealth technology that is placed with the appropriate client promotes active participation in care. NursingThus, it encourages client participation also promotes self-care learning, which greatly facilities discharge from care with all goals met.

The MHJS has to perform strategy evaluation to measure its success in the formulation and implementation of the new service (telehealth) which is a continuous process which should be included in each case of strategic management.

The system of telehealth technology collects information through physiologic monitors connected to a computer in the home (Ginter, Swayne, & Duncan, 2002). Assessment data are then sent through telephone or videophones (to allow for visual as well as audio communication) gadgets to the health attendants to communicate with the patient to obtain additional information. Steps in implementing telehealth services are:

  1. Determine the needs of the community
  2. Decisions made about the application such as; who will use it, where, when and for what purpose.
  3. Build health infrastructure; ensuring that the funding, technology, personnel, management, policies, and procedures are in place.
  4. Implementation needs to fulfil the expected outcomes.
  5. Make sure that the service is sustained

Development of telecommunication technology has created new roles for nurses, particularly in home care settings. Nurses say that telehealth technology has improved access to and availability of health care services for older adults, especially those who are homebound or live in rural, remote, or underserved areas.

The success of this service should be accomplished through continued evaluation of the plan to make necessary changes to realign the strategy with community needs as well as the vision of the business. Evaluation is aimed at improving evidence based telecare through good practice documentation, thus improving the key management issues and dissemination.

Factors have to consider when introducing this new service:

  1. Attitudes: which include; fears, willingness to take a risk, and willingness to try new things.
  2. Cultural factors: for instance; expectations around gender roles and the socioeconomic status of the people involved.
  3. Knowledge/skills: for instance; awareness of the potential of telehealth and ability to use the equipment.
  4. Relationships between or within communities for instance: cooperation, consulting with communities to determine their needs, organizations granting users autonomy over the.

References

Arbo, A. (2009). Health Care Strategy and Consulting Services. Web.

Ginter, P., Swayne, L. & Duncan, J. (2002). Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations. Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell.

Prince, T. (1998). Strategic management for health care entities: creative frameworks for financial and operational analysis. Chicago, IL: American Hospital Pub.

Savage, G. (2010). Strategic Human Resource Management in Health Care. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing.

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