Telehealth during COVID-19 pandemic era: a systematic review

Abstract

<abstract><sec> <title>Background</title> <p>Across the globe, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has altered the delivery of healthcare services as patients must maintain their distance from caregivers, and still receive medical treatment. This has triggered a necessity for exploring means which minimizes the physical gap between patients and healthcare givers while offering health care and ensuring high medical protection at a reduced risk of exposure. Even though telehealth services are no replacement for conventional healthcare, its' usefulness in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is immense.</p> </sec><sec> <title>Objective</title> <p>This research reviews the ardent utilization, barriers and recommendations with telehealth services for healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> </sec><sec> <title>Methods</title> <p>An assessment of literature in five large digital databases; PubMed, Science Direct, Sage Pub, ProQuest, and Google Scholar was conducted. Inclusion criteria included studies defining telehealth/telemedicine, utilization, barriers and recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic from January 2020 to July 2021, written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals. Two reviewers independently assessed search results, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the included studies. Narrative synthesis was undertaken to summarize and report the findings.</p> </sec><sec> <title>Results</title> <p>Overall, the study discoveries which are most commonly stated as impediments for telehealth services' full utilization between patients and physicians beyond the scope of typical medical confinement are: infrastructure and internet access (20.00%), data privacy and security (13.33%), digital literacy (13.33%), reimbursement and liability (10.00%), and clinician and patient's unwillingness (6.67%).</p> </sec><sec> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The intrusion of coronavirus has accelerated the transition to telehealth services in healthcare delivery, but it has also provided a unique chance to demonstrate the critical role that telehealth can play in ensuring that people of all races, ethnicities, and communities receive high-quality treatment (justice). Healthcare professionals should emphasize the effectiveness of telehealth services as an alternate healthcare delivery method in promoting healthcare to all populace.</p> </sec></abstract>