Page 27 - Part 1 Introduction to Telemedicine

SVMIC Introduction to Telemedicine

are limited. This has been proven to reduce mortality and disability

related to combat injuries, and it also improves the quality of care
for a wide range of medical and surgical conditions. It enables

consultation between front line providers and almost any specialty.
The DOD is also actively testing systems for telerobotic surgery.

Telepsychiatry and Behavioral Health

The provider’s physical presence is less critical than his or her

expertise for managing many issues in behavioral health.
Shortages of services and lack of access to specialists impacts

nearly every aspect of behavioral medicine, from the most basic

screening and triage, to interventions for specialized problems like
substance abuse, suicide risk and domestic violence, to ongoing

care of chronic illness. One telepsychiatry vendor claims that 57
percent of patients presenting to the ED with a behavioral health

problem leave the facility without treatment. Tele-behavioral
11
health creates access where it was unavailable before, stretches
resources efficiently and is highly acceptable to patients.

Limited English Proficiency and Hearing Impaired

TTY services for deaf and hard of hearing patients have been
12
available for decades; but, a quantum leap in effectiveness can be
provided by an expert sign language interpreter, participating via

video conferencing. This identical format can also be used for
foreign language translation. The Affordable Care Act specifies

standards for video remote interpretation services:
13

11 Avizia. 2018. Tele-behavioral health: reducing the mental health burden on emergency departments.
https://www.avizia.com/clinical-use-cases/behavioral-health [7/16/18]
12 Teletypewriter, developed in the 1960s, transmits text characters to special terminals over phone lines.
13 45 CFR Part 92 Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities; Final Rule. Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 96
Wednesday, May 18, 2016, p. 31470

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