The term telemedicine means the use of technology that enables remote healthcare to patients. One significant benefit of telemedicine is that patients can get quality health care at a distance. There are three main types of telemedicine which include:
- Remote monitoring– mostly used for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases and asthma. It involves monitoring the health of patients with such illnesses.
- Store-and-forward- this type of telemedicine involves sending a patient’s information to a healthcare facility, such as medical images.
- Real-time interactive services- this type of telemedicine allows patients to get medical advice through the phone, online, or home visits.
In cardiology, telemedicine is used to diagnose, treat and monitor patients with heart diseases. This may include acute and chronic heart illnesses.
Telemedicine allows health researchers to monitor and gather data on patients’ heart rhythms within a given time. Research shows that through this kind of monitoring, hospitals have reduced emergency room visits of cardiac patients.
Benefits of Telemedicine to Cardiac Patients
One significant advantage of telemedicine to cardiac patients is getting the right diagnosis. Cardiac patients can get the correct diagnosis, enabling them to receive the right form of treatment without any complications.
A cardiac patient does not need to receive treatment in the hospital as this leads to high hospital bills. Through telecardiology, they can receive the necessary medical treatment at the comfort of their home.
Through telecardiology, patients can reach out to healthcare facilities as quickly as possible. This allows for on-time treatment. Telecardiology also helps eliminate the number of missed cardiac events. This is through detecting and monitoring the arrhythmias of a patient when receiving treatment.
When a patient feels something is wrong, they can easily turn it on, reducing the chances of a cardiac event. Healthcare staff can also be quickly alerted on a patient’s heart rate disturbances, allowing immediate treatment making a patient feel safer.
Lastly, telecardiology devices are conveniently portable, which means a patient can easily move them to their bedside, allowing quicker diagnosis.
Benefits to Healthcare Specialists
Telemedicine in cardiology allows healthcare specialists to make the correct diagnosis and treatment of cardiac patients. In return, this motivates such specialists to manage more patients confidently by knowing they will diagnose them correctly.
Telemedicine in cardiology allows healthcare specialists to gain more knowledge when treating cardiac patients. An average health practitioner can gain experience when monitoring and evaluating a cardiac patient through it.
Telecardiology allows hospitals to offer care to patients when need be. This also reduces the time spent in consultation as a healthcare specialist will already know a patient’s condition.
Heart Conditions Treated Through Telemedicine
There are various heart diseases that hospitals can detect and monitor among patients through it. Such include:
- Heart failure
- Hypertension
- Congenital heart disease
- Atrial fibrillation
- Heart surgery recovery
- Heart attack recovery
- Pacemaker and ICD monitoring
Application of Telemedicine
- In-hospital telecardiology where specialists can access information of patients in the intensive care unit and emergency rooms.
- Teleconsulting of patients who get discharged early.
- Telenursing for patients with chronic cardiac diseases to reduce hospitalization.
- Diagnose and monitor arrhythmias wear a Holter monitor is used throughout.
Despite the various challenges of telemedicine, it is evident that the successful treatment of cardiac patients has increased. The contribution of telemedicine in the field of cardiology undoubtedly has improved the quality of healthcare.