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Tele-Healthcare

Telehealth provides online communication mediums to record and manage health optimally. The various specialties in telehealth include a mobile application, software, and other online facilities to promote patient treatment and care. Studies prove the potential of telehealth in improving the quality of healthcare as it addresses the social determinants of health, reduces the risk of hospitalization and improves the quality of life. UCF provides Telehealth services in all fields of medicine to treat patients with curative, preventive, rehabilitative, and palliative care and maintains advanced technologies to promote it. Our comprehensive telehealth programs focus on improving access to healthcare for all, including the medically underserved communities in remote areas.

The scope of telehealth is rapidly expanding, and UCF is making various telehealth services available. The objectives of telehealth are in line with UCF vision to make healthcare accessible for those who live in isolated or far flung areas.

Telehealth – Enabling Patient-Centered Public Health

What is telehealth?

Telehealth uses communication and information technologies, such as mobile devices and computers, to remotely access healthcare services to manage health. Telehealth connects the patient with a medical provider to investigate the health issue, provide consultation and prescribe medication. It’s not only beneficial for patients, but it also helps the doctor to support or improve the health of communities at large without compromising the quality of care.

How does telehealth help the patients?

We use telehealth to provide remote consultations to patients. This saves their time and expense of travel, and readily gets them healthcare anytime 24/7. The medications, followup instructions are communicated by the doctors online. We also guide them about self-management of their health during and after treatment. Telehealth supports contact of doctors with the specialists to get their input in patient diagnosis and treatment. The doctor may send X-rays, test results, medical history of the patient, and exam notes to the specialist to receive further recommendations. The scans, medical imaging, such as MRI, ultrasound, or CT scans are shared online.

Telehealth Services at UCF Texas

UCF Texas provides many telehealth services such as:

Patient Portal

All primary care facilities have a patient portal online to support communication between the patient and healthcare practitioner. A portal is a secure online method that helps in the following procedures:

  • Contact with nurse or doctor
  • Prescription refill requests
  • Review of summaries and test results of past visits
  • Request reminders for appointment
  • Schedule new appointments

Virtual Appointment

  • Online video conferences
  • Convenient consultation for minor illnesses
  • Advice for care at home by nursing centers

Personal Health Apps

Several apps help patients organize their medical information in one place. Telehealth digital tools help in many ways, such as:

  • Storage of information about health
  • Recording vital signs
  • Recording physical activity such as step count
  • Track and calculate intake of calories
  • Setting reminders for taking medicine

Electronic Personal Health Records (PHR)

Electronic PHR collects and maintains data about your health that you manage and control. A PHR is an application easily accessible via laptop, smartphone, computer, or tablet. A PHR system readily provides vital information such as medications, drug allergies, and the patient’s current diagnosis to the staff in an emergency. They also provide the contact information of the doctor who treats a patient.

Remote Monitoring

  • Mobile apps or websites to upload information, for instance, the measurement of glucose in the blood
  • Wearable devices automatically transmit and record information, such as posture control, gait, blood glucose, heart rate, sleep activity, physical activity, and tremors.
  • Measurement of blood glucose, lung function, or blood pressure, and wireless transmission of information. Devices such as AnemiaPhone are used to assess iron and vitamin B levels and inflammation in only one test, which analyzes blood drops on a test strip. Utilizing a camera, this device quantitates the outcomes. This device is also used in remote areas where anemia is a frequent problem.
  • Home monitoring devices record a change in normal function in people with dementia, such as fall detection. Sensors can alert the caregivers if a dementia patient gets out of the home to take adequate action.

FAQs

Telehealth has a broader scope: it refers to remote clinical and non-clinical services, whereas telemedicine only refers to remote clinical services. The non-clinical services include administrative meetings, health education services, remote blood pressure monitoring, ECG, or vital signs, remote patient-doctor consultations, and provider training.

Yes, medical apps need FDA approval if they are operated as a medical tool.