Application Of Telehealth Research Articles

Convergence of SaaS, AI, and Telecom in Telehealth: Transforming the future of healthcare delivery through intelligent systems

This paper aims at identifying and analyzing how SaaS, AI, and Telecom are changing the way healthcare is delivered by focusing on telehealth. The goal is to determine the current status of these combining technologies, identify future developments and trends in intelligent telehealth systems, and analyze the opportunities and risks associated with their implementation. Following a systematic review, relevant publications published between January 2014 and January 2024 were gathered from various databases. Finally, eight studies were included for analysis, after exclusion and inclusion criteria were applied. The findings show that SaaS, AI, and Telecom are transforming telehealth by improving the remote patient monitoring, the access to care, and the moving from the reactive to the proactive approach to health. SaaS enhances adaptable and affordable approaches, while AI infuses precise identification and reasoning. Telecom provides secure and steady communication and data transfer while facing issues regarding data security, legislation acts, and disparities in infrastructure. Overall, these research studies highlight the key possibilities of developing the application of telehealth through the integration process of these technologies.

Analyzing the Public Health Impact of Adopting Telehealth after a Pandemic: A Business Model

Abstract: In response to the global shift in healthcare delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigates the adoption of telehealth technologies and assesses their long-term sustainability within new public health paradigms. Telehealth, accelerated by the pandemic's demands, offers a unique perspective on evolving healthcare delivery methods that emphasize accessibility and efficiency. By employing a mixed-methods approach, which synthesizes quantitative data with qualitative insights from various stakeholders, this research evaluates how telehealth has enhanced the delivery of medical services, especially in remote and underserved communities. Despite challenges related to technological infrastructure and regulatory constraints, our analysis of revenue models and cost-benefit evaluations suggests that telehealth is economically feasible and possesses significant market potential. The findings advocate for robust policy support and technological investment to enhance global telehealth accessibility and implementation. Additionally, the study highlights the necessity of expanding educational training for healthcare professionals to effectively adapt to telehealth systems. These strategic measures are pivotal for promoting the widespread application and sustainable development of telehealth, positioning it as a cornerstone in the future landscape of global healthcare. Continued research is recommended to further refine telehealth models and develop comprehensive frameworks that address emerging healthcare challenges and disparities.

The Experiences and Perceptions of Telehealth in Patients Living With Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.

To systematically identify, appraise and synthesise qualitative research evidence which examined the impact of telehealth on the experiences and perceptions of patients living with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to inform the development of patient-centred telehealth. Qualitative evidence synthesis. CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, PUBMED, MEDLINE, EThOS, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Lenus, DART, RIAN and ProQuest were searched for primary qualitative studies undertaken between 2008 and 2023. A thematic synthesis of studies was undertaken to identify descriptive themes relating to patient views. Methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme framework, and confidence in review findings was assessed using the GRADE-CERQual approach. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final synthesis. Four analytical themes were generated (1) telehealth as a facilitator of independence, (2) the influence of patient and healthcare provider relationship on successful engagement with telehealth, (3) usability of telehealth to patients living with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (4) trusting virtual health services and facilitating confidence in the patient/service user. Five descriptive themes emerged: (i) individualised telehealth chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care (ownership and control), (ii) managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, (iii) being heard and feeling understood, (iv) telehealth as an education aid and (v) aging and virtual technology. Understanding the experiences of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their engagement with telehealth is a necessary determinant of how best to utilise telehealth in this population and may serve to inform policymakers to further develop and implement telehealth into practice. Future research on patients and healthcare professionals' views on telehealth use in the palliative stage of this illness may also be valuable. Findings add value by providing healthcare providers with additional evidence to improve understanding of both telehealth complexity and human experiences and perceptions. It is anticipated that a deeper understanding of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients' experiences and perceptions will inform the development of strategies to maximise and enhance the application of patient-centred telehealth within the context of coping and living with a debilitating condition. No patient or public contribution was utilised in this study.

Public and Research Interest in Telemedicine From 2017 to 2022: Infodemiology Study of Google Trends Data and Bibliometric Analysis of Scientific Literature.

Telemedicine offers a multitude of potential advantages, such as enhanced health care accessibility, cost reduction, and improved patient outcomes. The significance of telemedicine has been underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, as it plays a crucial role in maintaining uninterrupted care while minimizing the risk of viral exposure. However, the adoption and implementation of telemedicine have been relatively sluggish in certain areas. Assessing the level of interest in telemedicine can provide valuable insights into areas that require enhancement. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the level of public and research interest in telemedicine from 2017 to 2022 and also consider any potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Google Trends data were retrieved using the search topics "telemedicine" or "e-health" to assess public interest, geographic distribution, and trends through a joinpoint regression analysis. Bibliographic data from Scopus were used to chart publications referencing the terms "telemedicine" or "eHealth" (in the title, abstract, and keywords) in terms of scientific production, key countries, and prominent keywords, as well as collaboration and co-occurrence networks. Worldwide, telemedicine generated higher mean public interest (relative search volume=26.3%) compared to eHealth (relative search volume=17.6%). Interest in telemedicine remained stable until January 2020, experienced a sudden surge (monthly percent change=95.7%) peaking in April 2020, followed by a decline (monthly percent change=-22.7%) until August 2020, and then returned to stability. A similar trend was noted in the public interest regarding eHealth. Chile, Australia, Canada, and the United States had the greatest public interest in telemedicine. In these countries, moderate to strong correlations were evident between Google Trends and COVID-19 data (ie, new cases, new deaths, and hospitalized patients). Examining 19,539 original medical articles in the Scopus database unveiled a substantial rise in telemedicine-related publications, showing a total increase of 201.5% from 2017 to 2022 and an average annual growth rate of 24.7%. The most significant surge occurred between 2019 and 2020. Notably, the majority of the publications originated from a single country, with 20.8% involving international coauthorships. As the most productive country, the United States led a cluster that included Canada and Australia as well. European, Asian, and Latin American countries made up the remaining 3 clusters. The co-occurrence network categorized prevalent keywords into 2 clusters, the first cluster primarily focused on applying eHealth, mobile health (mHealth), or digital health to noncommunicable or chronic diseases; the second cluster was centered around the application of telemedicine and telehealth within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis of search and bibliographic data over time and across regions allows us to gauge the interest in this topic, offer evidence regarding potential applications, and pinpoint areas for additional research and awareness-raising initiatives.

The Evolution of Telehealth in Heart Failure Management: The Role of Large Language Models and HerzMobil as a Potential Use Case.

The burgeoning domain of telehealth has witnessed substantial transformation through the advent of advanced technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs). This study examines the integration of LLMs in heart failure management, with a focus on HerzMobil as a pioneering telehealth program. The technical underpinnings of LLMs, their current applications in the medical field, and their potential to enhance telehealth services, have been explored. The paper highlights the benefits of LLMs in patient interaction, clinical documentation, and decision-making processes. Through the HerzMobil case study, improvements in patient self-management and reductions in hospital readmission rates have been observed, showcasing the successful application of telehealth in chronic disease management. The paper also delves into the challenges and ethical considerations of LLM integration, such as data privacy, potential biases, and regulatory compliance, underscoring the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes patient safety and ethical standards.

Impact of telehealth on stroke survivor-caregiver dyad in at-home rehabilitation: A systematic review.

To examine studies involving the impact of telerehabilitation (TLR), tele-training and tele-support on the dyad stroke survivor and caregiver in relation to psychological, physical, social and health dimensions. A systematic review was conducted. The following electronic databases were consulted until September 2023: PsycInfo, CINAHL, Eric, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central and Web of Science. It was conducted and reported following the checklists for Reviews of PRISMA 2020 Checklist. Critical evaluation of the quality of the studies included in the review was performed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklists. A total of 2290 records were identified after removing duplicates, 501 articles were selected by title and abstract and only 21 met the inclusion criteria. It included 4 quasi-experimental studies, 7 RCTs, 1 cohort study and 9 qualitative studies. The total number of participants between caregivers and stroke survivors was 1697, including 858 stroke survivors and 839 caregivers recruited from 2002 to 2022. For a total of 884 participants who carried out TLR activities in the experimental groups,11 impact domains were identified: cognitive/functional, psychological, caregiver burden, social, general health and self-efficacy, family function, quality of life, healthcare utilization, preparedness, quality of care and relationship with technology. The results support the application of telehealth in the discharge phase of hospitals and rehabilitation centres for stroke survivors and caregivers. TLR could be considered a substitute for traditional rehabilitation only if it is supported by a tele-learning programme for the caregiver and ongoing technical, computer and health support to satisfy the dyad's needs. Designing a comprehensive telemedicine programme upon the return home of the dyad involved in the stroke improves the quality of life, functional, psychological, social, family status, self-efficacy, use of health systems and the dyad's preparation for managing the stroke. No patient or public contribution.

Telehealth Intervention for Self-management Among Patient with Hypertension: A Scoping Review

Background: Self-management among hypertensive patients is important to reduce morbidity and mortality. The use of telehealth can be applied to optimized self-management among hypertensive patients. Purpose: This study aimed to describe the application of telehealth in self-management of hypertensive patients. Methods: This review uses three electronic databased namely PubMed, EbscoHost and Scopus. The article included in the review is the use of telehealth in management in hypertensive psien. Review papers are excluded from the review. 9 articles are included in this review. Result: The form of application of telehealth in the management of hypertensive patients is health education related to hypertension, blood pressure monitoring, motivational support related to self-management, reminders in the form of taking medication, doctor visits, and diet, recording blood pressure results regularly in the form of charts / diagrams, and online consultations. Implication: The forms of telehealth implementation in this review are education, monitoring the blood pressure of hypertensive patients, motivation, reminders, diagram of blood pressure monitoring, and e-consultation. Although in the application of telehealth, there are some challenges, the application of telehealth provides advantages and benefits in chronic patient management Keywords: Hypertension; self-management; telehealth

Latent profiles of telehealth care satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic among patients with cardiac conditions in an outpatient setting

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was advocated and rapidly scaled up worldwide. However, little is known about for whom this type of care is acceptable. To examine which patient characteristics (demographic, medical, psychosocial) are associated with telehealth care satisfaction, attitude toward telehealth, and preference regarding telehealth over time in a cardiac patient population. In total, 317 patients were recruited at the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in The Netherlands. All patients who had received telehealth care (telephone and video) in the previous 2 months were approached for participation. Baseline, 3-month, and 6-month questionnaires were administered online. A 3-step latent class analysis was conducted to identify trajectories of telehealth use over time and the possible association of the found trajectories with external variables. Five trajectories (classes) were identified for satisfaction with telehealth and 4 for attitude toward telehealth. Patients with higher distress, lower physical and mental health, higher scores on pessimism, and negative affectivity were more likely to be less satisfied. Patients with no partner, more comorbidities, higher distress, lower physical and mental health, and higher scores on pessimism were more likely to hold a negative attitude toward telehealth. For the future application of telehealth, marital status, comorbidities, digital health literacy, and pessimism were significantly related. Results show that patients' profiles should be considered when offering telehealth care and that the "one size fits all" approach does not apply. Results can inform clinical practice on how to better implement remote health care in the future while considering a personalized approach.

Application and prospect of telehealth in the management of cardiovascular disease

Application and prospect of telehealth in the management of cardiovascular disease

Psychological antecedents of telehealth acceptance: A technology readiness perspective

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been threatening the healthcare system. In this context, telehealth is a potential solution to deliver effective and safe health care to the public. To facilitate the application and acceptance of telehealth, a good understanding of psychological determinants is of great importance. Therefore, this study aims to examine the public's positive and negative mindsets towards telehealth. A theoretical model was established by employing the technology readiness model and perceived value theory. To empirically test the relationships between constructs, a total of 500 responses from residents in Singapore were collected; thereafter, structural equation modeling was performed. The results indicate that discomfort negatively impacts perceived value whereas optimism and innovativeness positively impact users' perceived value. Further, perceived value positively impacts the acceptance of telehealth via attitude. Demographic factors (i.e. internet literacy, age, education) can also influence certain aspects of technology readiness (e.g. innovativeness, optimism). Moreover, social influence is an important moderator between perceived value and the acceptance of telehealth. The empirical findings enhance the understanding of users' psychology concerning telehealth and provide policy recommendations regarding the development of telehealth to improve public health.

The role of telehealth on quality of life of palliative care patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: an integrative review.

Telehealth looks to be a viable tool to meet patients' expectations and requirements during home treatment; however, there are obstacles to overcome. Palliative care has been described as 'high touch' rather than 'high tech', which may restrict healthcare workers' enthusiasm in integrating technological advances into the development and refinement of interventions. As a result, the goal of this integrative review was to map and evaluate existing research on the use of telemedicine and telehealth in palliative care patients during the COVID-19 outbreak. This review was guided using the PRISMA Model and CASP guidelines. A total of 17 articles on the use of telehealth in palliative care satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the review. This integrative review provided more evidence for the function and application of telehealth in palliative care. It demonstrated the resiliency of individuals in swiftly adjusting to a new system or application and the adaptability of healthcare systems and providers in establishing an alternate means of providing treatment to patients during a crisis.

TELEHEALTH AND TELEMEDICINE APPLICATIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS DURING PANDEMIC COVID 19 : BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

The Covid 19 pandemic of the past three years has necessitated certain modifications to the management strategy, as health care professionals and diabetic patients cannot communicate directly. Technology is used to ensure that the management of Diabetes Mellitus remains intact. Using a bibliometric methodology, this study intends to examine the breadth of research on the application of telehealth to the management of Diabetes Mellitus during the Covid 19 Pandemic. Google scholar, Pubmed, and Science Direct are used to search for research databases, and VOS-viewer is used to retrieve the search results. The analysis of 902 articles from 2020 to 2022 reveals the existence of three clusters (red, green, and blue) that illustrate the relationship between topics. Bibliometric mapping using three distinct visualization techniques, including network visualization, overlay visualization, and density visualization. The most frequent keywords are Covid, Diabetes Mellitus, and Telemedicine. Telemedicine plays an essential role in the care of Diabetes Mellitus during a pandemic since it is simpler to communicate with patients due to limited interaction during lockdown, as seen by the analysis of the visualization above. Telehealth visits could be the subject of research that could be utilized to future studies.

A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) supplier opinions on the current state of wheelchair repair services

Purpose It is documented that wheelchair failures occur frequently, repair times are lengthy, and users often experience adverse consequences. This study aims to gather evidence on efficiency of current wheelchair repair processes from the perspective of complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) suppliers who perform repairs within the United States. Materials and methods A 20 statement survey was developed to identify barriers and facilitators related to wheelchair repairs across the domains of administrative and operational factors as well as to identify future opportunities for improvement. Key statements in these areas included time to perform a repair, documentation requirements, tracking repair progress, reimbursement, technician competency, emerging strategies and preventative maintenance. The online survey was broadly disseminated to a nationwide network of CRT suppliers for data collection. Results A total of 127 responses were received. Results showed that administrative statements received the lowest scores while those statements dealing with future opportunities received the highest scores. Areas of the industry that suppliers were in most disagreement with included wait time for insurance approval, reimbursement for parts, reimbursement for technician travel time and lack of coverage for preventative maintenance. Telehealth system usage, preventative maintenance coverage, tracking repairs and repair scheduling were future opportunities that suppliers were in most agreement with. Conclusions Administrative issues exist in the CRT industry due to restrictive insurance policies associated with repairs and maintenance. Future opportunities to improve the process exist including payment models and the application of telehealth, device monitoring and service-based performance incentives to reduce adverse consequences to the user. Implications for rehabilitation Highlights the direct importance and barriers faced within the wheelchair repair industry by CRT suppliers. In a sample of CRT suppliers, there is agreement there exists many administrative and operational issues related to wheelchair repairs. There is agreement among survey respondents of opportunities to investigate further telehealth and remote strategies, preventative maintenance coverage and online tracking for wheelchair repairs.

Telehealth in a paediatric developmental metropolitan assessment clinic: Perspectives and experiences of families and clinicians.

The application of telehealth in the paediatric setting is growing, and yet, limited research has focused on using telehealth in developmental diagnostic assessment and the consumers' perceptions of their telehealth experience. This study explored parents'/carers' and staff experiences of using telehealth as part of the developmental diagnostic assessment. Parents/carers who attended an assessment between June 2020 and July 2021 that incorporated a telehealth component within a hybrid service delivery model were invited to provide feedback about their experience of telehealth appointments at a multidisciplinary developmental assessment service. All parents were invited to complete an online survey, with a sample of families being offered a telephone interview. Staff members were invited to a focus group to explore their experiences of delivering services via telehealth. Data obtained were analysed descriptively and thematically using a mixed method of analysis. Codes were categorized, enabling facilitators and barriers to be explored. The use of telehealth in the diagnostic assessment of complex developmental disorders received high levels of acceptance from parents/carers and staff, despite having limitations such as technical issues, difficulties building rapport between families/clinicians and limited direct observations of the child. Telehealth services are perceived to reduce costs and increase flexibility, including increased ability to accommodate family needs. Results demonstrated that telehealth is a highly acceptable mode of service in a developmental assessment service. The current study informs the development of a hybrid service delivery model by enhancing facilitators and reducing barriers commonly reported by consumers and provides direction for future research. Parents or carers of children who attended a tertiary paediatric assessment unit for a diagnostic developmental assessment completed the online survey and were interviewed.

Assessing the Satisfaction and Acceptability of an Online Parent Coaching Intervention: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

BackgroundParent-mediated intervention (PMI) has been studied in promoting skill acquisition or behavior change in the children with autism spectrum disorder. Most studies emphasize on the improvement of child’s core symptoms or maladaptive behaviors, making parental perceived competence and self-efficacy secondary. Yet, the evaluations of intervention implementation are under-reported, especially when translating such interventions into a new population or context. This research investigated the intervention implementation of a 12-week parent coaching intervention which was delivered through telehealth and tailored to Chinese population. The intervention was based on the Parent-mediated Early Start Denver Model with culturally adapted lectures, manuals, and demonstration and commentary videos. This study aimed to evaluate the intervention implementation by assessing parents’ satisfaction, acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility.MethodA randomized controlled trial was conducted with two telehealth conditions: self-directed and web+group therapy. Parents in the self-directed condition received intervention individually through the online learning platform. The web+group therapy condition navigated the same program with weekly 1.5-h group coaching sessions via videoconferencing. This mixed-methods study used a concurrent convergent design to evaluate the intervention implementation at post-intervention. The quantitative data was collected from the Program Evaluation Survey and the qualitative data was collected from five focus groups.ResultsParents in self-directed group reported significantly lower scores in total perceived competence than parents in web+group therapy condition, while there was no group difference on the total self-efficacy. Tailored feedback, demonstration and commentary videos, peer commenting, live coaching, and guided reflection were the top-five acceptable telehealth strategies that were strongly endorsed by parents. Family centered care, home-based intervention, strategies relative to daily activities, the remote learning platform, and the program-based community were elements that parents considered when evaluating the program’s appropriateness. Parent modeling, step-by-step instructions, and tailored feedback were key components in making intervention strategies feasible for parents to implement at home.ConclusionFindings indicate the application of telehealth was acceptable, appropriate, and feasible for Chinese parents. Group-based parent coaching intervention via videoconferencing could be a promising home-based service model to increase parental perceived competence. A large-scale RCT is needed to investigate the effectiveness of group-based PMI via telehealth.

User attitudes towards virtual home assessment technologies

Telehealth has long been highlighted as a way to solve issues of efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare and to improve patients’ care and has become fundamental to address patients’ needs during the COVID-19 pandemic; however previous studies have shown mixed results in the user acceptance of such technologies. Whilst many previous studies have focussed on clinical application of telehealth, we focus on the adoption of telehealth for virtual assessments visits aimed to evaluate the suitability of a property where a patient is discharged, and eventual adaptations needed. We present a study of stakeholders’ attitudes towards such virtual assessment visits. The study has been carried out with healthcare professionals and patients and allowed us to identify user attitudes, barriers and facilitators for the success of virtual assessment visits from the point of view of healthcare professionals and patients. Finally, we discuss implications for designers of telehealth services and guidelines that can be derived from our study.

Successes and challenges of implementing teleprehabilitation for onco-surgical candidates and patients\u2019 experience: a retrospective pilot-cohort study

This study documents the implementation of a multimodal teleprehabilitation program (e.g., completion rate, exercise metrics, and program successes and challenges) for cancer patients undergoing surgery. It also documents the patients’ experience of the program. This pilot-cohort study included adults scheduled for elective thoracic and abdominal cancer resection surgery, referred to the prehabilitation clinic to engage in physical activity, and received a teleprehabilitation program between August 1st, 2020, and February 28th, 2021. The technology platform provided to the patients included a tablet and a wearable device to facilitate communication and data collection. Data collected for this article were acquired through virtual physical activity monitoring in addition to patient charts. Qualitative data collected comprised of successes and challenges of implanting a teleprehabilitation program, in addition to patients’ perspectives of the program. Quantitative data collected comprised of the exercise metrics, perioperative functional outcomes, in addition to the surgical and postoperative outcomes. Ten patients (8 males and 2 females; mean age: 68.3 years, SD 11.96) diagnosed with various thoracoabdominal malignancies were included in the current descriptive study. The successes identified were related to recruitment and assessment, improvement in functional capacity, clinic scheduling and interventions, and optimal medical follow-up. The challenges identified were related to the adoption of the technologies by patients and the multidisciplinary team, the accurate acquisition of patient physical activity data, and the initial costs to acquire the new technologies. Patients were satisfied with the teleprehabilitation program (i.e., services delivered; average appreciation: 96%), and they perceived the technologies provided to be 90% user-friendly. The findings of the current study highlight important concepts in view of the current international health paradigm changes prioritizing remote interventions facilitated through digital communication technologies. It provides important insight into the clinical application of telehealth in elderly populations, notably in the context of acute preoperative cancer care. This article may provide guidance for other cancer care facilities aiming to implement teleprehabilitation programs.

Evaluating the Feasibility and Pretesting the Impact of an Educational and Telemonitoring Program for COPD Patients in Lebanon.

PurposeThe objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and pretest the effectiveness of an educational and telemonitoring program in a sample of Lebanese COPD patients to inform the design of a randomized study.Patients and MethodsThis study recruited a convenient sample of 15 patients from the pulmonology departments of four hospitals. Validated questionnaires were adapted to meet the context of this study in terms of adequacy, acceptability, adoption, fidelity, and cost. The impact of this program on quality of life and anxiety was measured by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), the COPD Clinical Questionnaire (CCQ), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). All measurements were performed before and after the intervention.ResultsAll 15 participants who agreed to participate in this intervention found the program adequate and acceptable for addressing COPD-related issues. Regarding adoption, all participants declared having no difficulty explaining to others the content of the education sessions and that they would suggest this program to other COPD patients. In terms of effectiveness, six patients had improving in quality of life scores, and five patients had lower anxiety and depression scores compared to baseline measures. A knowledge assessment was done at the end of each session, showing an increase in knowledge for all participants. Skills were also assessed at the end of the program. Participants made no errors that had an impact on their health. Regarding the cost, it was difficult to evaluate the relative cost of this intervention given the economic situation in the country.ConclusionThis study is the first to evaluate the application of telehealth to optimize COPD management in Lebanon. The approach proposed gave insights into the different obstacles and facilitating factors for implementing such a project to allow a large-scale work on the adaptation of the COPD patient to his disease in Lebanon.

The Use of Telehealth in Depression Treatment during the Crisis Caused by COVID-19

ABSTRACT Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been increased interest in telehealth as a means of providing care for depression. In this article, we provide an overview of telehealth utilization for the treatment of depression and provide some insight into the rapid shift made to quickly implement these telehealth services into our everyday practices due to COVID-19 personal distancing requirements. We review the application of telehealth in the treatment of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. The multiple advantages and disadvantages of telehealth in treatment of depression are summarized through the literature, and we analyze the methods to improve the effect and quality of telehealth in depression treatment. It has been highlighted in the current research that against its proven capacity for convenience, its relative cheapness, and its ability to overcome geographic barriers, telehealth has its own shortfalls, including disparities in rural–urban infrastructure and an alleged inability to be exhaustive when intensive interventions are needed. Recommendations for the improvement of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic also presuppose that it is infrastructure and human resource intensive and that short-term improvements in its efficiency are largely dependent on the creativity and resourcefulness of physicians to provide custom solutions for patients.

Patients\u2019 and healthcare providers\u2019 perceptions and experiences of telehealth use and online health information use in chronic disease management for older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a qualitative study

BackgroundTelehealth and online health information provide patients with increased access to healthcare services and health information in chronic disease management of older patients with chronic diseases, addressing the challenge of inadequate health resources and promoting active and informed participation of older patients in chronic disease management. There are few qualitative studies on the application of telehealth and online health information to chronic disease management in older patients. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common chronic diseases in older adults. Telehealth is widely used in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of older patients and healthcare providers in the application of telehealth and online health information to chronic disease management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study with data generated from 52 individual semi-structured interviews with 29 patients [Law of the People’s Republic of China on the protection of the rights and interests of older people (2018 Revised Version) = >60 years old] with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 23 healthcare providers. The inductive thematic analysis method was used for data analysis.ResultsFour themes and 16 sub-themes were identified in this study. Four themes included: faced with a vast amount of online health information, essential competencies and personality traits ensuring older patients’ participation and sustained use, user experience with the use of technology, being in a complex social context.ConclusionThe ability of patients to understand health information should be fully considered while facilitating access to online health information for older patients. The role of health responsibility and user experience in older patients’ participation and sustained use of telehealth and online health information needs to be emphasised. In addition, the complex social context is a determining factor to be considered, particularly the complex impact of a reliance on offspring and social prejudice on the behaviour of older adults using telehealth and online health information.