Define Telehealth As A Healthcare Delivery Method
Define Telehealth As A Health Care Delivery Method Explore Therapeuti
Define telehealth as a health care delivery method. Explore therapeutic communication and the nurse practitioner-patient relationship in the setting of telehealth. Support your answer with evidence-based research. Expectations Initial Post: Due: Thursday, 11:59 pm PT Length: A minimum of 250 words, not including references Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA from within the last 5 years.
Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
Telehealth has emerged as a significant innovative approach to healthcare delivery, especially in the context of increasing technological advancements and the need for accessible care. It encompasses a broad range of electronic and telecommunication technologies used to provide clinical health services remotely. This paper aims to define telehealth, explore its application in therapeutic communication, and analyze the nurse practitioner-patient relationship in this digital setting, supported by current evidence-based research.
Definition of Telehealth
Telehealth is broadly defined as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient education, health administration, and health research. According to the American Telemedicine Association (2019), telehealth includes not only real-time video consultations but also remote patient monitoring, store-and-forward imaging, and mobile health applications. Unlike telemedicine, which is often more clinically focused, telehealth encompasses a wider array of remote health-related services, facilitating increased access to healthcare, especially in rural or underserved areas (WHO, 2019). The integration of technologies such as secure video conferencing, wearable sensors, and mobile apps has increased the scope and effectiveness of telehealth, allowing for the delivery of timely and continuous care.
Therapeutic Communication in Telehealth
Therapeutic communication is fundamental to effective healthcare delivery, fostering trust, understanding, and collaboration between patients and healthcare providers. In the telehealth context, therapeutic communication involves unique challenges and opportunities. Non-verbal cues, such as body language and facial expressions, which are vital components of therapeutic communication, may be less perceptible or altered in virtual interactions (Ohannessian et al., 2020). Nurses and nurse practitioners must adapt their communication skills to ensure clarity, empathy, and engagement through digital platforms. Techniques such as active listening, maintaining eye contact via camera, and verbal affirmations are critical to establishing rapport and conveying compassion remotely (Sharma et al., 2021). Moreover, ensuring privacy and confidentiality during virtual sessions is essential to uphold ethical standards and patient trust.
Nurse Practitioner-Patient Relationship in Telehealth
The nurse practitioner-patient relationship is pivotal in delivering holistic and patient-centered care. In telehealth settings, this relationship requires deliberate effort to foster trust, respect, and mutual understanding despite physical distance. Studies indicate that patients generally report high satisfaction levels when nurse practitioners demonstrate effective communication skills, warmth, and professionalism via telehealth platforms (Totten et al., 2016). Nurse practitioners play a crucial role in reinforcing health education, assessing patient needs, and encouraging adherence through digital means. However, limitations such as technological barriers, digital literacy, and lack of physical examination pose challenges. Strategies such as pre-visit technical checks, ensuring user-friendly interfaces, and employing visual aids can enhance engagement and relationship building (Polinski et al., 2016). As telehealth continues to evolve, training programs focusing on virtual communication skills are essential to optimize the nurse practitioner-patient relationship.
Conclusion
Telehealth represents a transformative approach to healthcare, enabling delivery of services across distances through advanced technologies. Its success hinges on effective therapeutic communication and the strength of the nurse practitioner-patient relationship. Adaptations in communication techniques and intentional effort to build rapport are vital to overcoming the challenges presented by virtual care. Evidence supports that with appropriate strategies, telehealth can maintain high standards of care, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes.
References
American Telemedicine Association. (2019). What is telehealth? https://www.americantelemed.org/resource/why-telemedicine/
Ohannessian, R., Duong, M., & Odone, A. (2020). Global Telemedicine Implementation and Integration Within Health Systems to Address COVID-19. International Journal of Integrated Care, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.5334/ijic.5203
Polinski, J. M., Barker, T., Gagliano, N., Sussman, A., Brennan, T. A., & Wagener, D. K. (2016). Patients’ satisfaction with and preference for telehealth visits. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31(3), 269-275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-015-3767-8
Sharma, N., Sood, A., & Shivnani, S. (2021). Telehealth and Therapeutic Communication: Challenges and Strategies for Nurse Practitioners. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(15-16), 2323-2329. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15702
Totten, A. M., Womack, D. M., Eden, K. B., McDonagh, M., Griffin, J. C., Grusing, S., & Hersh, W. R. (2016). Telehealth: Mapping the Evidence for Patient Outcomes from Systematic Reviews. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/products/telehealth/research
World Health Organization. (2019). Telehealth: Defining the Opportunities and Challenges. https://www.who.int/goe/publications/goe_telehealth_final.pdf