But telemedicine isn’t new. Throughout history, mankind has studied and used various forms of the service. The actions that were eventually coined telemedicine have been around for centuries, even dating back to when the people of ancient Rome sent proxies to the temples where medical care was offered if their citizens were too old or too ill to go themselves.
In more recent history, right around the 1960s, NASA pioneered significant advancements in telemedicine when it started planning to send American astronauts to space. Space travel required the ability to use the spacecraft and astronauts’ spacesuits to remotely monitor and diagnose health-related issues. However, after this creation, telemedicine innovation slowed. It wasn’t until the 2000s that innovation in this field resumed and the telemedicine industry commenced changing its identity and entering mainstream popularity.
Telemedicine solves the issue of convenience and access to certain types of medical care that millions of patients struggle with every year. But time and technology have created new advancements in the remote delivery of healthcare, expanding beyond telemedicine and providing even greater convenience and higher quality care – what we now call “telehealth.”
Though often used interchangeably, telemedicine and telehealth refer to two different facets of healthcare delivery. While telemedicine alludes to the remote diagnosis and monitoring of patients and aims to expand the physical reach of traditional brick and mortar medicine, telehealth is one step ahead. Telehealth’s broader scope transforms medicine, enabling individuals to take charge of their care and use different mechanisms of healthcare delivery, and it encompasses preventive and curative care delivery in addition to diagnosis and monitoring. Telehealth is the evolutionary product of telemedicine that allows for better remote care because it accounts for a wider array of treatment needs.
Telehealth is here, but there’s still tremendous opportunity for innovation. Unlike telemedicine’s post-1960s maturation stage, telehealth is growing rapidly. Telehealth provides 24/7 access to physicians, treatment from any location, and the opportunity to avoid long ER wait times, creating a cost-effective solution that increases consumer adoption.
Some studies estimate there will be 27 million telehealth visits by 2020, but in order to continue driving higher levels of consumer adoption, telehealth must remain focused on removing the ambiguity that set it apart from telemedicine in the first place. To do that, we must fill in the gaps that still require in-person interaction to complete a telehealth visit.
Take lab tests for example. Everyone has needed a lab test at some point in their life. Tests give both the patient and physician confidence in a diagnosis and wellness plan, and virtual healthcare has offered convenience and speed, but there is still no substitute for the collection of a urine sample or blood specimen. These tests are a vital part of quality health care, which is why new innovations must create a solution to close the gap between telemedicine and lab testing services that require an in-person visit.
This is a great example of the convenience that telemedicine created and the resulting gap telehealth must address. The question is, how can this gap be addressed? Here’s the answer: through “digital diagnostics” — the seamless integration of patients, physicians, and laboratory services using the latest in technological advancements and communication infrastructure.
Healthcare delivery is changing to meet consumer demand for convenience and cost of care. With the introduction and inclusion of digital diagnostics, the industry bridges the gaps left by telemedicine processes, helping health care professionals meet consumer expectations. Telehealth soon will address preventive health, chronic disease management, and post-discharge management. As new channels are added under telehealth’s umbrella, the responsibility falls on telehealth providers to ensure high quality, comprehensive care is provided. At Analyte Health, we know this firsthand because we’ve ordered more than two million lab tests on behalf of our patients and have seen the impact on customer satisfaction: 95 percent of patients said the digital diagnostics solution made their telehealth experience more convenient.
But this is still just the beginning. As technology and the health care industry changes, the opportunities for telehealth and patient care continues to expand. When it does, digital diagnostics will be there right along with it, ready to take telehealth to the next level.
