Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chapter 4: Telehealth and Homecare Agencies

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Technology and Global Public Health

  • 699 Accesses

Abstract

Given the fact that the world’s population is aging at an increasingly fast rate, the manner in which healthcare is delivered will need to evolve with demographics. This is especially true of the older population, given the potential barriers they face in accessing healthcare, such as mobility and financial struggles. One very effective way to overcome these barriers is to incorporate telehealth into home care agency services. Telehealth provides an efficient, affordable, and convenient way to ensure sustained health in older populations being cared for by home care agencies. Some of the ways in which incorporating telehealth into home care that will be examined in this chapter include increased ability to communicate with caretakers and healthcare providers, improved information dissemination about chronic diseases and nutrition, and postacute care such as infection prevention. In addition, challenges that will need to be overcome in order to effectively incorporate telehealth into home care will be discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Beard J, Officer A, Cassels A. World report on ageing and health. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2015. http://www.who.int/ageing/publications/world-report-2015/en/. Accessed 27 July 2018

  2. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Ageing 2017- Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/397). 2017. http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health

  3. World Health Organization. Ageing and Health Feb 5, 2018. http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health. Accessed 27 July 2018.

  4. Ortman JM, Velkoff VA, Hogan H. An aging nation: the older population in the United States, current population reports, P25-1140. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p25-1140.pdf. Published May 2014. Accessed 26 Oct 2017.

  5. Cire B. World’s older population grows dramatically. NIH-funded Census Bureau report offers details of global aging phenomenon. National Institutes of Health Website. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/worlds-older-population-grows-dramatically. Published March 28, 2016. Accessed 26 Oct 2017.

  6. Olok GT, Yagos WO, Ovuga E. Knowledge and attitudes of doctors towards e-health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2015;15:87. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-015-0209-8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Landers S, Madigan E, Leff B, et al. The future of home health care: a strategic framework for optimizing value. Home Health Care Manag Pract. 2016;28(4):262–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1084822316666368.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Smith, A. Telemedicine vs. telehealth: what’s the difference? Chiron Health Website. https://chironhealth.com/blog/telemedicine-vs-telehealth-whats-the-difference/. Published December 4, 2015. Accessed 26 Oct 2017.

  9. Radhakrishnan K, Xie B, Berkley A, Kim M. Barriers and facilitators for sustainability of tele-homecare programs: a systematic review. Health Serv Res. 2016;51(1):48–75. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12327.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Visiting Nurse Associations of America. VNAA case study compendium: innovative models for the evolving home health and hospice industry. http://www.vnaa.org/files/Education-Quality/VNAA%20CSfinal.pdf. Published October 2013. Accessed 26 Oct 2017.

  11. Visiting Nurse Association of America Case Study Compendium. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://members.elevatinghome.org/Files/Education-Quality/Case-Study-Compendium/2015/VNAA-Case-Study-Compendium-2015.pdf__;!!HoV-yHU!6Zo_v4hgNKElWrd1iU-pw1ONyQ0qSKdrk4wWqhD0Q6go-aqIf6IO4-iTVwqJoIEboD0$. 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Summerfelt WT, Sulo S, Robinson A, Chess D, Catanzano K. Scalable hospital at home with virtual physician visits: pilot study. Am J Manag Care 2015;21(10):675–684. http://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2015/2015-vol21-n10/scalable-hospital-at-home-with-virtual-physician-visits-pilot-study. Accessed 26 Oct 2017.

  13. van den Berg M, Crotty M, Liu E, Killington M, Kwakkel G, van Wegen E. Early supported discharge by caregiver-mediated exercises and e-health support after stroke. Stroke. 2016;47(7):1885–92. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.013431.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Oksman E, Linna M, Hörhammer I, Lammintakanen J, Talja M. Cost-effectiveness analysis for a tele-based health coaching program for chronic disease in primary care. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017;17(1):138. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2088-4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Rubinstein AL, Irazola VE, Poggio R, Gulayin P, Nejamis A, Beratarrechea A. Challenges and opportunities for implementation of interventions to prevent and control CVD in low-resource settings: a report from CESCAS in Argentina. Glob Heart. 2015;10(1):21–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gheart.2014.12.011.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Ernsting C, Dombrowski SU, Oedekoven M, et al. Using smartphones and health apps to change and manage health behaviors: a population-based survey. J Med Internet Res. 2017;19(4):e101. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6838.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Lilholt PH, Witt Udsen F, Ehlers L, Hejlesen OK. Telehealthcare for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: effects on health-related quality of life: results from the Danish ‘TeleCare North’ cluster-randomized trial. BMJ Open. 2017;7(5):e014587. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-0145874.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Totten AM, Womack DM, Eden KB, et al. Telehealth: mapping the evidence for patient outcomes from systematic reviews. Technical brief no. 26. (Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2015-00009-I.) AHRQ Publication No.16-EHC034-EF. Rockville: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; June 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kelly JT, Reidlinger DP, Hoffmann TC, Campbell KL. Telehealth methods to deliver dietary interventions in adults with chronic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104(6):1693–702.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Health Affairs Blog Diffusion of Innovation. Health Care industry requires a roadmap to accelerate the impact of digital innovations. June 8, 2018. http://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20180606.523635/full/. Accessed 27 June 2018.

  21. Celler B, Varnfield M, Nepal S, Sparks R, Li J, Jayasena R. Impact of at-home telemonitoring on health services expenditures and hospital admissions in patients with chronic diseases: before and after control analysis. JMIR Med Inform. 2017;5(3):1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Tuckson RV, Edmunds M, Hodgkins ML. Telehealth. N Engl J. 2017;377(16):1585–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ernsting C, Dombrowski SU, Oedekoven M, et al. Using smartphones and health apps to change and manage health behaviors: a population-based survey. J Med Internet Res. 2017;19(4):1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lilholt PH, Witt Udsen F, Ehlers L, Hejlesen OK. Telehealthcare for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: effects on health-related quality of life: results from the Danish ‘TeleCare North’ cluster-randomized trial. BMJ Open. 2017; 7(5):e014587. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-0145874. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Report to Congress E-health and Telemedicine 2016. https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/206751/TelemedicineE-HealthReport.pdf. Accessed 6 Aug 2018.

  25. Peters DH. The application of systems thinking in health: why use systems thinking? Health Research Policy and Systems. 2014; http://www.Health-policy-systems.com/contents/12/1/51. Accessed 12 June 2018.

  26. World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The growing need for home health care for the elderly: home health care for the elderly as an integral part of primary health care services. 2015. http://applications.emro.who.int/dsaf/EMROPUB_2015_EN_1901.pdf?ua=1 . Accessed 8 Aug 2018.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York Medical College School of Health Sciences and Practice, Valhalla, NY, USA

    Amy Ansehl

  2. Visiting Nurse Services, Westchester Foundation, White Plains, NY, USA

    Amy Ansehl

  3. Westchester VNS, White Plains, NY, USA

    Timothy Leddy

Authors
  1. Amy Ansehl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Timothy Leddy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amy Ansehl .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA

    Padmini Murthy

  2. School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA

    Amy Ansehl

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Ansehl, A., Leddy, T. (2020). Chapter 4: Telehealth and Homecare Agencies. In: Murthy, P., Ansehl, A. (eds) Technology and Global Public Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46355-7_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46355-7_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-46354-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-46355-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation