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Telehealth. Part II. A total system approach
1Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii, USA. ljpete@aol.com
ASHA
|May 6, 1998
Summary
Telehealth programs improve healthcare access but often fail after funding ends, despite patient satisfaction and few technical issues. The key problem lies beyond technology, impacting long-term sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Telemedicine
- Digital Health
Background:
- Telehealth utilizes digitization and telecommunications to expand healthcare access for remote and underserved populations.
- Numerous telehealth initiatives have been launched over the past 25 years.
- A significant challenge is the limited long-term survival of these programs after external funding ceases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reasons behind the marginal success and high failure rate of telehealth programs.
- To identify the critical factors hindering the sustainability of telehealth initiatives beyond initial funding periods.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of telehealth program implementation over the last 25 years.
- Review of data on hardware performance and patient satisfaction.
- Identification of common challenges faced by telehealth programs.
Main Results:
- Telehealth programs demonstrate minimal hardware problems.
- Patients generally report positive experiences with telehealth services.
- Few telehealth programs achieve long-term sustainability, often linked to the withdrawal of external funding.
Conclusions:
- The success of telehealth is not primarily limited by technology or patient acceptance.
- Factors beyond technical feasibility and user satisfaction are critical for the sustained viability of telehealth programs.
- Further research is needed to understand and address the underlying issues affecting telehealth program longevity.