Telemedicine and Biosensors, A Boon in COVID Era: An Update

Abstract

Telemedicine means delivery of medical care and provision of general health services from a distance. Telemedicine tools have been evolved for at home COVID-19 diagnosis, screening, monitoring and treatment. Telemedicine has been practiced for decades with increasing evidence proving its potential for enhanced quality of care for patients, reduction in hospital admission and increase in savings for both patients and health care providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in the reliance on telemedicine and telehealth for provision of health care services. Development in telemedicine should be structured as complement to current healthcare procedures, not with the goal of completely digitizing the entire healthcare system but rather to use the power of technology to enhance areas that may not be working at their full potential. At the same time, it is also clear that further research is required on the efficacy of telemedicine in terms of both financial and patient benefits. We are hereby discussing the current and rapidly increasing knowledge about the use of telemedicine and identify the gaps in knowledge and opportunity for further research. Beginning with telemedicine’s origin to its widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic, we highlight the use of biosensors and use of telemedicine in this article. Keywords: Telemedicine, Biosensors, COVID-19, Wearable telemedicine gadgets