Chapter 8 - Virtual health and artificial intelligence: Using technology to improve healthcare delivery

Abstract

Virtual health is a broad term that refers to healthcare delivery using means other than face-to-face, in-person appointments. This term encompasses a variety of care delivery methods, including telemedicine, e-health (secure messaging between patients and providers, e-consultations, etc.), mHealth (health care delivery using mobile devices), remote home monitoring (RHM), and telementoring. There are many factors driving the adoption of virtual health, including dramatic improvements in technology, increases in patient demand, restructuring of healthcare systems, accommodations in state and national health policies, and major improvements in health insurance coverage for virtual visits. Virtual health augmented with artificial intelligence (AI) promises to increase doctors’ diagnostic accuracy, improves access to care, reduces costs, and alleviates provider shortages. AI in combination with virtual health creates a number of opportunities for unique interactions between physicians, patients, and technology.