Digital disparities: designing telemedicine systems with a health equity aim.
Emerg Med J
; 38(6): 474-476, 2021 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1120760
ABSTRACT
The use of telemedicine has grown immensely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine provides a means to deliver clinical care while limiting patient and provider exposure to the COVID-19. As such, telemedicine is finding applications in a variety of clinical environments including primary care and the acute care setting and the array of patient populations who use telemedicine continues to grow. Yet as telehealth becomes ubiquitous, it is critical to consider its potential to exacerbate disparities in care. Challenges accessing technology and digital literacy, for example, disproportionately impact older patients and those living in poverty. When implemented with the consideration of health disparities, telemedicine provides an opportunity to address these inequities. This manuscript explores potential mechanisms by which telemedicine may play a role in exacerbating or ameliorating disparities in care. We further describe a framework and suggested strategies with which to implement telemedicine systems to improve health equity.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Telemedicine
/
Health Equity
/
Digital Divide
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Emerg Med J
Journal subject:
Emergency Medicine
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Emermed-2020-210896
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS