Department of Urology.
Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Curr Opin Urol. 2018 Jul;28(4):342-347. doi: 10.1097/MOU.0000000000000508.
Telehealth, or the remote delivery of healthcare services using telecommunications technology, has the potential to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare and contribute to ongoing efforts to provide high-value care.
We discuss several categories of telehealth that have been applied to healthcare. Several of these approaches, in particular video visits and teleconsultations, have promising early data demonstrating the significant benefits of telehealth technology with respect to the quality of care, access, cost savings, and patient experience. Nonetheless, considerable knowledge gaps still exist regarding how and for which patients and diseases telehealth modalities should be applied. Finally, we discuss the barriers to widespread adoption at the institutional, state, and federal levels.
Maximizing the value of healthcare is an important goal for hospitals, physicians, and policymakers. Telehealth leverages advances in technology and the widespread availability of telecommunications devices to make healthcare communication more available, more convenient, and more efficient for patients and providers. With appropriate policies and incentives, telehealth initiatives can improve the value of urologic care and smooth the transition to a value-based healthcare system.
远程医疗，即利用电信技术远程提供医疗服务，具有彻底改变医疗服务方式的潜力，并有助于持续努力提供高价值的医疗服务。
我们讨论了已应用于医疗保健的几种远程医疗类别。其中一些方法，特别是视频访问和远程咨询，具有有前途的早期数据，证明了远程医疗技术在护理质量、可及性、成本节约和患者体验方面的显著优势。尽管如此，关于如何以及针对哪些患者和疾病应应用远程医疗模式，仍存在相当大的知识差距。最后，我们讨论了在机构、州和联邦各级广泛采用的障碍。
最大化医疗保健的价值是医院、医生和政策制定者的重要目标。远程医疗利用技术进步和电信设备的广泛可用性，使医患双方的医疗沟通更加便捷、高效。通过适当的政策和激励措施，远程医疗计划可以提高泌尿外科护理的价值，并顺利过渡到基于价值的医疗体系。
