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LAS432 Technology, Society, and Culture Telemedicine Transforming Healthcare Delivery
Through Innovation and Equity
DeVry University
LAS432: Technology, Society, and Culture
Telemedicine: Transforming Healthcare Delivery Through Innovation and Equity
Telemedicine has gradually become a revolutionary innovation in healthcare systems
worldwide, even more so after the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims only to discuss
telemedicine, relying on ethical analysis of the past and evaluating current innovation and
possible future outcomes. These major arguments stem from the overarching thesis that if
telemedicine is defined by infrastructure, policy, and equitable access, it could provide a new
healthcare possibility. Finally, suggestions are provided to inform policymakers and other health
system managers about creating value for patients while mitigating the risks associated with
telemedicine.
Historical Context
Telemedicine has been implemented since the mid-twentieth century and is mainly used
in military bases and other inaccessible areas. The first uses were more telephone and
telecommunication procedures for remote consultation, heralding a new medical practice. These
developments resulted in the need to reach out and expand the medical services to groups of
people where healthcare providers and accesses were either rare or impossibly reachable.
Initially, it adopted video telephony techniques for calls and gradually evolved into video
, 2
conferencing and integrated digital imaging systems, thus improving the ability of telemedicine
to diagnose and treat patients at a distance.
One event that catalyzed telemedicine's use was the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid this
global pandemic, governments and healthcare organizations across the globe have increased their
telemedicine access to ensure continual healthcare to patients with no compromise on the virus
spread. Cost changes went a long way in promoting telehealth services; thus, a new dimension of
the perception of telemedicine has been embraced. The COVID-19 crisis exposed telemedicine
as the means to address healthcare needs in crises and showed its challenges, including
heterogeneity of technological affordance.
Prior oral traditions suggest that eradicating geography is a strength of telemedicine, but
extinguishing inequity is not. For instance, the digital divide issue, which predicts the difference
between the ownership of modern information and communication technology and non-
ownership, has remained an issue. Unfortunately, these lessons relate to the lack of integrated
approaches that consider both the tools of telemedicine and society at large.
Current Situation
The use of telemedicine has produced many benefits for the healthcare sector. It has
enhanced the availability of healthcare treatment to the populace, especially the rural populace,
which mostly experiences challenges in accessing healthcare services. Due to the minimal
physical movement required in a telemedicine scenario, the overall cost of healthcare has also
been brought down in many instances. Furthermore, the comfort and availability of telemedicine
have improved the patient experience because a person can get care without interference from
routine, typical, face-to-face visits (North, 2020).
LAS432 Technology, Society, and Culture Telemedicine Transforming Healthcare Delivery
Through Innovation and Equity
DeVry University
LAS432: Technology, Society, and Culture
Telemedicine: Transforming Healthcare Delivery Through Innovation and Equity
Telemedicine has gradually become a revolutionary innovation in healthcare systems
worldwide, even more so after the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims only to discuss
telemedicine, relying on ethical analysis of the past and evaluating current innovation and
possible future outcomes. These major arguments stem from the overarching thesis that if
telemedicine is defined by infrastructure, policy, and equitable access, it could provide a new
healthcare possibility. Finally, suggestions are provided to inform policymakers and other health
system managers about creating value for patients while mitigating the risks associated with
telemedicine.
Historical Context
Telemedicine has been implemented since the mid-twentieth century and is mainly used
in military bases and other inaccessible areas. The first uses were more telephone and
telecommunication procedures for remote consultation, heralding a new medical practice. These
developments resulted in the need to reach out and expand the medical services to groups of
people where healthcare providers and accesses were either rare or impossibly reachable.
Initially, it adopted video telephony techniques for calls and gradually evolved into video
, 2
conferencing and integrated digital imaging systems, thus improving the ability of telemedicine
to diagnose and treat patients at a distance.
One event that catalyzed telemedicine's use was the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid this
global pandemic, governments and healthcare organizations across the globe have increased their
telemedicine access to ensure continual healthcare to patients with no compromise on the virus
spread. Cost changes went a long way in promoting telehealth services; thus, a new dimension of
the perception of telemedicine has been embraced. The COVID-19 crisis exposed telemedicine
as the means to address healthcare needs in crises and showed its challenges, including
heterogeneity of technological affordance.
Prior oral traditions suggest that eradicating geography is a strength of telemedicine, but
extinguishing inequity is not. For instance, the digital divide issue, which predicts the difference
between the ownership of modern information and communication technology and non-
ownership, has remained an issue. Unfortunately, these lessons relate to the lack of integrated
approaches that consider both the tools of telemedicine and society at large.
Current Situation
The use of telemedicine has produced many benefits for the healthcare sector. It has
enhanced the availability of healthcare treatment to the populace, especially the rural populace,
which mostly experiences challenges in accessing healthcare services. Due to the minimal
physical movement required in a telemedicine scenario, the overall cost of healthcare has also
been brought down in many instances. Furthermore, the comfort and availability of telemedicine
have improved the patient experience because a person can get care without interference from
routine, typical, face-to-face visits (North, 2020).
