Use of Telemedicine for Managing Chronic Conditions in Elderly Patients

Introduction

Telemedicine refers to the facility of remote medical services as two-way communication between the patient and the doctor with the help of electronic visual and audio. Telehealth is delivering medical services through mobile phones or computers. It aims at reducing medical barriers for people who stay away from specialists or those with mobility problems.

How Is Telemedicine Convenient?

In primary care, telemedicine is through the mobile phone, where people who live far from medical facilities discuss their non-emergency concerns and issues through the phone, where it is not required for the patient to see the doctor. Telemedicine is not an alternative to face-to-face consultation, which is essential, but telemedicine complements the medical system. Telemedicine plays an important role in the present as it is a convenient method for both the patient and the doctor to get or provide medical advice or treatment. It is also considered cost-effective and less time-consuming than waiting hours to visit a doctor. Telemedicine is an excellent medical help, but it should not be taken as an alternative for medical conditions that need in-person consultation.

Telemedicine also helps people to contact doctors after working hours. It has greater values, which help in the floor-ups of people with chronic conditions like diabetes, increased cholesterol, or increased blood pressure. People who experience the benefits of telemedicine are

• Those who do not face any immediate emergency.

• People who need help with medicine dosage adjustments.

• Lifestyle regimens.

• Refill of medicines.

Telemedicine also provides laboratory tests, investigations, and vital sign monitoring facilities. Telemedicine has been used for many years, but recently, due to broadband connections, audio and video calls are affordable and can be used by all age groups.

What Are the Benefits of Telemedicine?

Medical treatment through telemedicine requires only a web camera and a secure portal for the patient to connect with the doctor. This ensures the patient's details are secured and helps the doctor save the required medical information about the patient. The same state should license the distance doctor who provides treatment through telecommunication.

The waiting time is reduced in the case of telemedicine, and there is enhanced access to high-quality medical diagnosis and treatment. The medical charges are lower compared to other medical facility modes. As the patient's medical history data is saved in the system, it helps the doctor draft the prescription more reliably and accurately.

Telemedicine helps to provide second opinions easily and quickly. It also helps to enhance the experience of the patient and physician. Telemedicine helps to improve health outcomes, which is the primary goal of health services.

How Is Telemedicine Accessible to Older People?

Telemedicine provides the most convenient and cost-effective way to provide health care to elderly people. This method helps to provide health care to those older people who have transportation and mobility limitations which can make it difficult for the elderly to visit the doctor in person. Older people can find it difficult to use computers or smartphones through which consultation is done in telemedicine. Physical and cognitive barriers like limitations in hearing, vision, or cognitive impairment can also limit the elderly from using telemedicine. But there are many resources such as screen readers, voice texts, etc. that can be used by the elderly who face any barriers.

What Are the Ways Through Which Health Care Can Be Delivered To Elderly People?

Different ways of delivering telemedicine are

• Live Video Conferencing: This is a two-way audio-video link between the doctor, patient, and the care provider. For instance, stroke specialists from different hospitals can communicate and discuss shifting stroke patients from one hospital to another.

• Store and Forward Videoconferencing: The patient's medical record has been shared between the patient, the doctor, and the care provider. For instance, community pharmacists will help with medication recommendations to the patient's provider, where the information is sent through a secure email.

• Report Patient Monitoring: This is a process done with the help of an electronic device where the patient's health status is recorded and which can be used by the doctor to evaluate later.

• mHealth: This mHealth refers to applications and programs regarding health in mobile phones or other devices. This includes text messages or any applications or apps that help the person manage the blood sugar or cholesterol level.

• Audio Only: This is where the patient and the doctor connect through landlines or mobile phones and discuss how a chronic disease or condition can be managed.

How Does Telemedicine Help to Treat Older People?

Some of the ways that help the elderly access telemedicine,

• Older adults will not be very aware of the technologies such as video calls, voice messages, etc.

• Instead of video calls other non-video methods such as phone calls or interacting and answering questions through mail can be preferred.

• In the case of older people, extra time should be taken during the initial sessions of telemedicine as they can take some extra time to learn how to log in and out of a video chat.

• Certain monitors should be used for the elderly like blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, and heart rate monitors. These will help to read vital information such as diabetes and cardiac issues which are very common in elderly people. By measuring all this vital information the need of the elderly to visit the doctor in person can be minimized.

How to Get an Older Person Ready for a Telehealth Appointment?

It is necessary to make preparations for a telehealth appointment with an older adult. Some preparations should be made to make a successful appointment with older people. These are

1. Walk the Elderly Through Their Home Set Up:

Staff should be assigned to contact the elderly before the first telehealth session to make them understand the process of telemedicine. The staff should make sure all the devices are working and are connected to a good network and the phone is on full charge. The staff should also make sure that the device used by the elderly can also do a video call.

2. Review the Basics of Technology:

The assigned staff should guide the elderly patient to know how to connect to the internet, how to position the camera during telemedicine sessions, and how to adjust the volume and unmute when needed.

3. Phone-Based Telehealth Appointments:

This can be done when the older patients do not have any devices that can do a video call or if they have a low internet connection. This way of telemedicine works well for

• Follow up appointments of elderly patients.

• Lab reviews and test results.

• Change of medications or dosages and refills.

4. List out additional help from caregiver or family members:

Before starting the telehealth session, the older patient should be asked if they want some of their family members or caregiver to accompany them through the session. These people can help an older patient to manage their appointments, manage any technology problems, and help to communicate properly.

Conclusion

Telemedicine is an advanced medical development where the patient can consult and get treatment from a doctor for any non-emergency situation through an audio or video call or message. This helps older adults with chronic conditions to consult a doctor regularly without any hindrance. Much better consultation, care, and treatment are provided through telemedicine.