Nurses Advancing Telehealth Services in the Era of Healthcare Reform

Abstract

The current era of healthcare reform is driving a shift in priorities and pressures for delivery of high quality healthcare. With a surge in the need to efficiently meet patient care demands, and to accommodate the ever-evolving sophistication and modernization of information and communication technologies (ICT), it is an opportune time for innovative care delivery by telehealth. This article reviews the emergence of telehealth in America, describes modalities of telehealth services, and considers such factors as quality, means, and cost of delivery and need for telehealth services. Telehealth can increase access to primary and specialty care, and ensure high quality care at lower cost. The authors also discuss policy considerations related to telehealth, including the roles and contribution of nurses and future consideration for this state-of-the-art care model.