Introduction
Telemedicine is a virtual platform that delivers healthcare services through information and communication technologies. It bridges the distance and offers healthcare services to remote areas. Pulmonary healthcare focuses on the disorders of the respiratory system. Telemedicine for pulmonary care involves home-based clinical diagnosis and monitoring, interpretation of data at specialized centers, and centralized pulmonary function measurements. Telemedicine provides access to various healthcare services that enables an individual to monitor and manage multiple lung conditions at home.
What Is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine is a new approach that helps patients manage health conditions at home using technology. It is also referred to as telehealth, telecare, or e-health. Telemedicine is an innovative invention that combines medical expertise and equipment with communication and information technologies to examine, monitor, and treat various conditions at home. Across the world, the need for long-term treatments led to the development of telemedicine, which enables people to be monitored and treated at home. Telemedicine is a new era revolutionizing healthcare services using information and communication technologies. Telemedicine forms an interface between hardware and software and bridges two geographical locations through communication technologies, and enables teleconsultancy and the exchange of information.
What Does Pulmonary Care Mean?
Pulmonary care or respiratory medicine involves the diagnosis and treatment of various respiratory disorders, including the lungs, thoracic cavity, upper respiratory tract, and chest wall. Though common respiratory diseases are treated by general physicians, pulmonologists specialized in pulmonary medicine help diagnose and manage disorders of the respiratory system. New technologies and internet availability provides an opportunity to exchange information through telemedicine and helps manage various respiratory conditions at home. Telemedicine enables a home-based approach to diagnosing and monitoring respiratory conditions. Electronic data acquisition in telemedicine, processing, storage, and transmission improves reliability and focuses on promising healthcare outcomes.
What Are the Telemedicine Services Available for Pulmonary Care?
Some of the telemedicine services available include the following:
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Video Conference With the Healthcare Professional - Video conference enables a person to speak with the doctor online through a video link. This reduces the time and need to visit the doctor in person.
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Recording the Symptoms on an Electronic Device at Home - Symptoms and specific measurements, such as spirometry readings and peak flows that test the lung function, can be electronically recorded with devices similar to a mobile phone. This helps in collecting information on the condition that affects a person. Measurements can then be shared with the healthcare provider, who monitors the situation and gives advice on further treatment if required. This also helps a person to enquire about the measurements that have been recorded.
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Education and Self-Management Support - Technology helps a person learn more about the condition and helps share knowledge and experience with other people experiencing similar conditions. It helps in communicating the live experience of the disease and provides an opportunity to learn about the condition. Technology also supports self-management through various systems that can interpret the recordings and help in the early recognition and management of health conditions that may occur.
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Online Health Information - Many people use the internet to obtain health information. Though it provides valuable information, it is essential to check whether the health website is reliable.
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Call Centers - This help gather health information through the telephone. Call centers enable healthcare professionals to decide on and offer medical advice to those who can benefit from over-the-phone advice.
Telemedicine also helps in the remote monitoring of specific parameters with the use of wearable accessories, trackers, and sensors through the transmission of measured data.
What Is Telemedicine for Pulmonary Care?
Telemedicine services and equipment help an individual to monitor and manage various lung conditions at home. Various telemedicine services are available for the lung conditions mentioned below.
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Asthma:
Studies have shown that telemonitoring of asthma patients has various potential benefits. The development of electronic spirometers has facilitated at-home spirometry monitoring in patients with multiple lung diseases. Studies have demonstrated that patients conducting lung function tests, such as spirometry at home, could record results similar to those recorded by a healthcare professional. At-home spirometric monitoring is also helpful for monitoring patients following lung transplantation. Another study showed that video monitoring enables a doctor to assess and treat patients with asthma. Though there is a lack of face-to-face contact, the quality of care is not affected.
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD):
Telemedicine has a potential application in the early detection of exacerbations in COPD. Self-monitoring COPD symptoms reduces the frequency of hospitalizations caused by exacerbation of symptoms. Self-monitoring techniques also reduce the time and cost of visiting hospitals for treatment or monitoring. A study was conducted to determine the impact of these services, in which a videophone, an electronic stethoscope, and a digital blood pressure monitor were provided to patients with COPD, thereby allowing these patients to contact specialized nursing support immediately. The results highlighted that remote video technology was effective. Another study demonstrated that web-based call centers effectively reduce repeated hospitalizations in patients after discharge.
What Are the Benefits of Telemedicine in Pulmonary Care?
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Telemedicine helps an individual to have control over their lung conditions and maintain independence at home.
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It offers various at-home pulmonary care services that were previously only available at hospitals.
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Reduces time and expenses for hospital visits.
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Telemedicine supports long-term monitoring and management of various lung conditions at home.
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Some forms of telemedicine provide constant monitoring services 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
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It has various other benefits, including customized care, improved access to remote areas, and direct access to healthcare professionals without waiting time, and it also solves the problem of healthcare professional shortages.
What Are the Advancements in Telemedicine for Pulmonary Care?
The development of intelligent inhalers that collect and transmit data to the patient’s physician helps in monitoring patients with asthma and COPD. In the future, specially designed sensors placed in clothing are expected to measure and monitor various physiological parameters. A new invention called a smart shirt diagnosis and monitors multiple lung disorders. Research is being carried out in applying new technologies to pulmonary rehabilitation.
Conclusion
Telemedicine has enabled remote monitoring in pulmonary care through information and communication technologies. Though home monitoring has proved feasible, caution is still required in evaluating home-based tests. However, telemedicine offers various benefits and provides access to healthcare services through home-based approaches.
