[Beyond benefit evaluation: Considering the unintended consequences of telehealth]

Telehealth is seen as a key lever in health policy choices. However, many challenges remain in terms of its successful integration into clinical practices. To date, many telehealth initiatives are struggling to move beyond the pilot project stage. This is partly due to a culture of innovation that is mainly focused on the expected benefits of the technology and less on the changes and transformations it can generate. Telehealth is used in health care organizations with complex social dynamics, to say the least. Its introduction has unintended consequences that can affect patients, communities, professionals, organizations, health systems and society as a whole. The aim of this article is to discuss some of the unintended consequences of using telehealth in health care organizations and systems.