Bridging the Gap: Expanding Telehealth Services to Address Rural Health Disparities

Jalal Uddin¹ , Tazveen Fariha² , Shahida Sultana Shumi³

1. Social and Behavioral Health Department, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USA.
2. Social and Behavioral Health Department, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, USA.
3. Dept. of Physiotherpay, Saic College of Medical Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Section:Review Paper, Product Type: Journal-Paper
Vol.10 , Issue.7 , pp.50-57, Jul-2024

Online published on Jul 31, 2024

Copyright © Jalal Uddin, Tazveen Fariha, Shahida Sultana Shumi . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 

View this paper at   Google Scholar | DPI Digital Library

XML View     PDF Download

How to Cite this Paper

145 Views    96 Downloads    37 Downloads

Abstract :
Introduction: Rural Americans face significant health disparities due to limited access to healthcare services. Telehealth has emerged as a promising solution to mitigate these disparities by facilitating remote access to medical care. This paper comprehensively reviews the advantages, challenges, and implementation strategies of telehealth in rural areas. Method: A narrative review methodology was employed to synthesize existing literature and case studies on telehealth in rural settings. Databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and JSTOR were searched for relevant studies published in the last three decades. Keywords such as "telehealth," "rural health," and "healthcare disparities" guided the search process. The review focused on studies assessing the impact of telehealth on healthcare access, cost-effectiveness, and quality of care in rural areas. Results: The review findings indicate that telehealth significantly enhances healthcare access by reducing travel distances, increasing availability of specialist consultations, and promoting patient engagement. It improves chronic disease management and patient satisfaction by enabling convenient access to healthcare services at home. Despite initial setup costs and challenges such as broadband access and regulatory issues, telehealth demonstrates long-term cost savings through reduced travel expenses and improved healthcare efficiency. Quality of care is enhanced through improved communication between healthcare providers and patients, leading to better treatment adherence and health outcomes. Conclusion: Telehealth represents a transformative approach to address healthcare disparities in rural areas. It offers a cost-effective solution to improve access to healthcare services, enhance patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs in the long run. However, successful implementation requires addressing infrastructure challenges, refining reimbursement policies, and ensuring regulatory support. Future efforts should focus on expanding broadband infrastructure, refining policy frameworks, and conducting further research to optimize telehealth`s impact on rural healthcare delivery.

Key-Words / Index Term :
Telehealth, Rural Health, Healthcare Disparities, Remote Care, Health Policy, Access to Care

References :
[1] A.K.M.R. Habib, M.M. Alam, M.R. Islam, "Design of a mobile aeration system for aquaculture and proof of concept," In the Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference on Computer, Communication, Chemical, Materials and Electronic Engineering (IC4ME2), Rajshahi, Bangladesh, pp.1-4, 2021.
[2] Bayzid, B., Kabir, S. M. M., Rahman, M. H., Uddin, J., Hosen, M. S., Shumi, S. S., et al. “A cross-sectional survey on socio-demographic profile and work-related health risks of Bangladeshi female sex workers,” International Journal of Women`s Health Care, Vol.5, Issue.2, pp.38-41, 2020.
[3] Butzner, M., & Cuffee, Y. “Telehealth Interventions and Outcomes Across Rural Communities in the United States: Narrative Review,” Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol.23, Issue.8, e29575, 2021.
[4] CDC, “Rural Health,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023.
[5] Dart, E. H., Whipple, H. M., Pasqua, J. L., et al. “Legal, Regulatory, and Ethical Issues in Telehealth Technology,” Computer-Assisted and Web-Based Innovations in Psychology, Special Education, and Health, Elsevier Academic Press, pp.339-363, 2016.
[6] Gurupur, V. P., & Miao, Z. “A brief analysis of challenges in implementing telehealth in a rural setting,” mHealth, Vol.8, pp.17, 2022.
[7] Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Evaluating Clinical Applications of Telemedicine, & Field, M. J. (Eds.). Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications in Health Care, National Academies Press (US), 1996.
[8] Kamal, S. M. M., Kabir, M. F., Rahman, M. H., Uddin, J., Hosen, M. S., & Shumi, S. S. “Impact of home quarantine due to COVID-19 among Bangladeshi population,” International Journal of Public Health Science, Vol.10, Issue.1, pp.1-7, 2021.
[9] Kruse, C. S., Krowski, N., Rodriguez, B., Tran, L., Vela, J., & Brooks, M. “Telehealth and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and narrative analysis,” BMJ Open, Vol.7, Issue.8, e016242, 2017.
[10] M.S. Islam, M.M. Alam, A. Ahamed, S.I. Ali Meerza, "Prediction of diabetes at early stage using interpretable machine learning," In the Proceedings of the Southeast Con 2023, Orlando, FL, USA, pp.261-265, 2023.
[11] Nelson, R. “Telemedicine and Telehealth: The Potential to Improve Rural Access to Care,” American Journal of Nursing, Vol.117, pp.17-18, 2017.
[12] Orlando, J. F., Beard, M., & Kumar, S. “Systematic review of patient and caregivers` satisfaction with telehealth videoconferencing as a mode of service delivery in managing patients` health,” PLoS One, Vol.14, Issue.8, e0221848, 2019.
[13] Raffenaud, A., Gurupur, V., Fernandes, S. L., et al. “Utilizing telemedicine in oncology settings: Patient favourability rates and perceptions of use analysis using Chi-Square and neural networks,” Technology and Health Care, Vol.27, pp.115-127, 2019.
[14] ter Huurne, E. D., Postel, M. G., de Haan, H. A., Drossaert, C. H. C., & DeJong, C. A. J. “Web-based treatment program using intensive therapeutic contact for patients with eating disorders: before-after study,” Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol.15, Issue.2, e12, 2013.
[15] Uddin, J., Greene, M., Dubbin, L., Deutsch, M., & Flatt, J. “Examining the role between social antecedents and depression among LGBTQ+ older adults eligible for low-income housing,” OBM Geriatrics, Vol.7, Issue.4, pp.1-19, 2023.
[16] Ward, M. M., Merchant, K. A. S., Carter, K. D., Zhu, X., Ullrich, F., Wittrock, A., & Bell, A. “Use Of Telemedicine For ED Physician Coverage In Critical Access Hospitals Increased After CMS Policy Clarification,” Health Affairs, Vol.37, Issue.12, pp.2037–2044, 2018.
[17] Watson, S. “Telehealth: The advantages and disadvantages,” Harvard Health Publishing, 2020.
[18] Zachrison, K. S., Richard, J. V., & Mehrotra, A. “Paying for Telemedicine in Smaller Rural Hospitals: Extending the Technology to Those Who Benefit Most,” JAMA Health Forum, Vol.2, Issue.8, e211570, 2021.