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Telehealth
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/telehealth.html

Telehealth

Also called: Telemedicine
On this page

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Research

  • Clinical Trials
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For You

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  • Older Adults
  • Patient Handouts

Summary

What is telehealth?

Telehealth is the use of communications technologies to provide health care from a distance. These technologies may include computers, cameras, videoconferencing, the Internet, and satellite and wireless communications. Some examples of telehealth include:

  • A "virtual visit" with a health care provider, through a phone call or video chat
  • Remote patient monitoring, which lets your provider check on you while you are at home. For example, you might wear a device that measures your heart rate and sends that information to your provider.
  • A surgeon using robotic technology to do surgery from a different location
  • Sensors that can alert caregivers if a person with dementia leaves the house
  • Sending your provider a message through your electronic health record (EHR)
  • Watching an online video that your provider sent you about how to use an inhaler
  • Getting an email, phone, or text reminder that it's time for a cancer screening

What is the difference between telemedicine and telehealth?

Sometimes people use the term telemedicine to mean the same thing as telehealth. Telehealth is a broader term. It includes telemedicine. But it also includes things like training for health care providers, health care administrative meetings, and services provided by pharmacists and social workers.

What are the benefits of telehealth?

Some of the benefits of telehealth include:

  • Getting care at home, especially for people who can't easily get to their providers' offices
  • Getting care from a specialist who is not close by
  • Getting care after office hours
  • More communication with your providers
  • Better communication and coordination between health care providers
  • More support for people who are managing their health conditions, especially chronic conditions such as diabetes
  • Lower cost, since virtual visits may be cheaper than in-person visits

What are the problems with telehealth?

Some of the problems with telehealth include:

  • If your virtual visit is with someone who is not your regular provider, he or she may not have all of your medical history
  • After a virtual visit, it may be up to you to coordinate your care with your regular provider
  • In some cases, the provider may not be able to make the right diagnosis without examining you in person. Or your provider may need you to come in for a lab test.
  • There may be problems with the technology, for example, if you lose the connection, there is a problem with the software, etc.
  • Some insurance companies may not cover telehealth visits

What types of care can I get using telehealth?

The types of care that you can get using telehealth may include:

  • General health care, like wellness visits
  • Prescriptions for medicine
  • Dermatology (skin care)
  • Eye exams
  • Nutrition counseling
  • Mental health counseling
  • Urgent care conditions, such as sinusitis, urinary tract infections, common rashes, etc.

For telehealth visits, just like with an in-person visit, it is important to be prepared and have good communication with the provider.

Start Here

  • Why Use Telehealth? (Department of Health and Human Services) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

  • Stay Safe: Getting the Care You Need, at Home (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF Also in Spanish
  • Talking With Your Doctor: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Specifics

  • How Do I Schedule a Telehealth Appointment? (Department of Health and Human Services) Also in Spanish
  • Telehealth: Technology Meets Health Care (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Telemedicine (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
  • VA Telehealth Services (Department of Veterans Affairs)
  • What Can Be Treated through Telehealth? (Department of Health and Human Services) Also in Spanish
  • What Is Telemental Health? From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Mental Health) - PDF Also in Spanish
  • What Should I Know before My Telehealth Visit? (Department of Health and Human Services) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Telehealth From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: The IMPART (IMproving PAlliative care in Residential aged care using Telehealth)...
  • Article: Effects of WeChat-based telehealth on patients reported outcomes of hypertension: a...
  • Article: In-home Tele-assessment for Autism in Toddlers: Validity, Reliability, and Caregiver Satisfaction...
  • Telehealth -- see more articles

Children

  • Can Telehealth "Video Visits" Be a Good Option for My Child? How Do They Work? (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
  • Telehealth and Your Child (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
  • What to Expect at a Telehealth Visit (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Women

  • 10 Telehealth Tips for an Ob-Gyn Visit Infographic (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Older Adults

  • Getting the Care You Need via Telemedicine (National Council on Aging)
  • Telehealth (Medicare Part B Coverage) (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

  • Getting the Most Out of Your Telemedicine Visit (National Kidney Foundation) - PDF
  • Telehealth (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

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Telehealth

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • Telehealth

Related Health Topics

  • Talking With Your Doctor

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Telehealth is the NIH Office of the Director

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Telehealth

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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