Tele-healthcare and the use of virtual communication technologies in medical research and application: the future of telemedicine is now!

Abstract

Contemporary world events are demonstrating the need to embrace and further develop tele-health options for assessment and delivery of biopsychosocial healthcare services. This is now possible, given advances in communication technologies allowing virtual connections of medical personnel with constituents, as well as necessary, in light of recent challenges posed by infectious conditions and growing needs for travel restrictions, social distancing, and isolation of large portions of populations. Moreover, the opportunity to virtually connect with persons through ubiquitous computer-based and handheld communication devices allows comprehensive care provision to include underserved areas, where restricted, walk-in access to brick-and-mortar establishments has long been recognized as a limiting factor in healthcare. This review examines evolving approaches of tele-healthcare, with a specific focus on telemedicine as a bridge between traditional, in-person approaches to diagnose and treat medical conditions and new healthcare opportunities developing to meet changing societal needs. The three purposes of the review are: discuss background information, with a brief look at policy and procedure guiding applications of tele-techniques in healthcare practices; identify relevant scientific studies to show the breadth of new evidence-based research for telemedicine practices; and, discuss challenges for the further development of telemedicine as healthcare systems in the United States evolve to meet current and projected healthcare needs.