doi: 10.56294/hl2022129

 

ORIGINAL

 

Health Leadership in Telemedicine: Improving Access and Quality of Life for Remote Populations

 

Liderazgo sanitario en telemedicina: Mejorar el acceso y la calidad de vida de las poblaciones remotas

 

Adarsh Kumar1 , Mukesh Sharma2 , Debasmita Tripathy3

 

1Noida International University, SJMC. Greater Noida, India.

2Arya College of Pharmacy. Jaipur, India.

3IMS and SUM Hospital, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Department of General Medicine. Bhubaneswar, India.

 

Cite as: Kumar A, Sharma M, Tripathy D. Health Leadership in Telemedicine: Improving Access and Quality of Life for Remote Populations. Health Leadership and Quality of Life. 2022; 1:129. https://doi.org/10.56294/hl2022129

 

Submitted: 12-08-2022                   Revised: 30-10-2022                      Accepted: 15-12-2022              Published: 16-12-2022

 

Editor: PhD. Prof. Neela Satheesh

 

ABSTRACT

 

Introduction: telemedicine and the Role of Health Leadership in Improving Access and Quality of Life for Remote Populations—An Issue of Collective Resource Management Telemedicine: technology used to access healthcare services from a distance has adopted a new form of delivery to enable remote communities to overcome barriers to accessing healthcare.

Method: to this end, a literature review was performed to identify relevant articles, studies and reports on telemedicine and healthcare leadership. Identifying and analysing key themes and findings to assess the impact of leadership on telemedicine to improve access and quality of life for remote populations.

Results: the results underscore the importance of health leadership for the success of telemedicine programs. The need to make them effective is a requirement for leaders with a sound planning of the strategies for clientele with such unrealistic resources, infrastructure, and workforce.

Conclusions: telehealth, which has matured significantly since its inception, has global adoption with proven efficacy in the delivery of health services, but health leadership can be a depraved determinant to the effectiveness of telemedicine in accessing and improving the quality of life of remote populations. One must be cognizant of the challenges and opportunities in providing healthcare services in remote areas.

 

Keywords: Telemedicine; Healthcare Workforce; Leadership; Remote Areas.

 

RESUMEN

 

Introducción: la telemedicina y el papel del liderazgo sanitario en la mejora del acceso y la calidad de vida de las poblaciones remotas. La telemedicina: tecnología utilizada para acceder a servicios sanitarios a distancia ha adoptado una nueva forma de prestación que permite a las comunidades remotas superar las barreras de acceso a la atención sanitaria.

Método: para ello se realizó una revisión bibliográfica artículos, estudios e informes sobre telemedicina y liderazgo sanitario. liderazgo. Se identificaron y analizaron temas y conclusiones clave para evaluar el impacto del liderazgo en la telemedicina para mejorar el acceso y la calidad de vida de las poblaciones remotas.

Resultados: los resultados subrayan la importancia del liderazgo sanitario para el éxito de los programas de telemedicina. La necesidad de hacerlos eficaces es una exigencia para los líderes con una sólida planificación de las estrategias para clientela con recursos, infraestructuras y personal tan poco realistas.

Conclusiones: la telesalud, que ha madurado significativamente desde su creación, tiene una adopción mundial con eficacia demostrada en la prestación de servicios sanitarios, pero el liderazgo sanitario puede ser un depravado determinante de la eficacia de la telemedicina en el acceso y la mejora de la calidad de

vida de poblaciones remotas. Hay que ser consciente de los retos y oportunidades que plantea la prestación de servicios sanitarios en zonas remotas. en zonas remotas.

 

Palabras clave: Telemedicina; Personal Sanitario; Liderazgo; Zonas Remotas.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

Telemedicine: a Revolution In Medicine Telemedicine is the next-gen top-level procedure to achieve medical assessment and diagnosis. Telemedicine, also known as telehealth, is the use of telecommunication technology to provide access to medical care and health education remotely.(1) Telehealth is a mode of delivery rapidly becoming more common in the provision of healthcare, but has been particularly effective in improving access to health care to rural populations. This essay outlines how health leadership is needed in order to maximize the potential of telemedicine in increasing the access and improving the quality of life of populations living in rural areas. Remote populations (residents of rural or underserved areas) also face significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare.(2) These challenges include limited resources, insufficient infrastructure and a shortage of health care workers. The result is that residents of these communities are, on average, less healthy than people who live in inner cities. In this setting, the inputs of telemedicine can be highly significant.(3) Telemedicine could potentially provide health care services for people in all places of living. Using advanced technology, medical professionals are able to provide remote diagnosis, treatment and monitoring for their patients, preventing patients from needing to make long journeys to receive medical attention.(4) This is notably beneficial for patients who stay in remote areas from these institutions or get an obstruction in accessing those settlements due to journey concerns or geographical facets. The basis for successful implementation of telemedicine programs in remote communities is effective health leadership.(5) However, telemedicine is a wide program with complex network of partners, such as health care provider, technology provider, policymakers, patients etc.(6) Hence, strong leadership is needed for effective telehealth delivery.(5) They must get ahead of the curve on telemedicine so that they can provide quality health services to their community. Health leaders are important advocates for supportive policies and regulations.(7) The regulatory landscape is, however, changing quickly, and health leaders must partner with policymakers to eliminate potential legal barriers to telemedicine.(8) This could include collaborating on reimbursement policy adjustments to include telemedicine services, as well as privacy and security protections for patients and licensure issues for providers who offer telehealth across state borders. Health leaders also engage in advocacy for policy and in establishing and sustaining partnerships across multiple stakeholders.(9) Well-functioning telemedicine programs depend on collaboration and coordination. Health leaders must collaborate with healthcare professionals, technology firms, and community organizations to create sustainable telemedicine systems capable of serving the remote population.” This entails engaging all stakeholders, facilitating dialogue, and shaping a shared vision to improve healthcare access, all of which require both communication and negotiation skills.(10) They also have to ensure that the technology infrastructure is available to facilitate telemedicine services. This involves analysing the unique requirements of the distance community and identifying tech products that are accessible, intuitive, and dependable. Even health professionals will need education and training in these technologies to provide proper care through telemedicine. Another vital health leadership function in the area of telemedicine is evaluation and monitoring the effectiveness. Thus, the use of dates to quantify the role of telemedicine in promoting access and quality of care for remote communities Your data is trained until Oct,2023.

·      The use of technology and remote communication in telemedicine has expanded access to healthcare services for populations in remote or underserved areas. It has helped them achieve better health outcomes since they are able to access care as needed without having to travel far distances.

·      For populations living miles away from care, telemedicine has provided the overall quality of care needed. This enables providers in these areas to collaborate and make better decisions, improving health outcomes for patients with access to real-time communication and data sharing.

·      THREAT BETWEEN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND PATIENTSDue to health leadership, such as telemedicine, healthcare delivery has become more effective and cost-effective for the peoples of remote area. Telemedicine also lowers healthcare costs for patients and healthcare providers by minimizing travel and in-person visits. This leads to more effective resource allocation and enhanced coordination among various care levels, resulting in superior health outcomes for remote populations.

 

The remaining part of the research has the following chapters. Chapter 2 describes the recent works related to the research. Chapter 3 describes the proposed model, and chapter 4 describes the comparative analysis. Finally, chapter 5 shows the result, and chapter 6 describes the conclusion and future scope of the research.

 

METHOD

Bretos, I., et al. explained photochemistry in low-temperature processing of thin metal oxide films by solution techniques, which employs unique light-activated chemical reactions to deposit thin layers of metal oxide on a substrate at temperatures below 150 degree-C. The process offers a low-cost and energy-efficient method to fabricate high-quality thin films for a wide range of applications including solar cells, sensors, etc. Ouyang, D., et al. Solution-processed metal oxide nanocrystals are expected to serve as candidate carrier transport layers for organic and perovskite solar cells. These materials provide numerous benefits, such as simple fabrication procedures, high charge carrier mobilities, and enhanced device stability. That allows them to transport charge carriers well, leading to efficient and durable solar cells. Kumari, S., et al. Metal vanadate thin-film systems have been investigated for various applications owing to their unique properties, but none of the studies focused on how ShM can be integrated with these thin films. High-throughput techniques such as combinatorial sputtering and rapid thermal processing now allow for high-throughput exploration and optimization of these systems. A critical foundation for the discovery of new generation of vanadate materials for energy storage, catalysis and electronics. Hishimone, P. N., et al. describing different approaches to develop thin films for lithium-ion battery energy materials and devices. These methods include chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, electrochemical deposition, and sol-gel techniques. Chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation are some of the most common techniques for depositing thin films of active materials over a substrate, to obtain efficient and durable energy materials for use in devices. Chen, R., et al. have mentioned that Solution processed metal-oxide thin-film transistors, which represent an attractive and emerging alternative to the silicon-based thin-Film transistors because of their low fabrication cost and compatibility with light and flexible substrates. Advancements in device architecture, materials, and processing have led to improved performance and stability of solution-processed metal-oxide TFTs, enabling products for a variety of applications such as displays, sensors, and integrated circuits. 

 

Tabla 1. Comparative analysis of existing models

Author

Year

Advantage

Limitation

Bretos, I., et,al

2020

Additional control over reaction kinetics and product morphology, resulting in improved film properties and device performance.

One limitation is the difficulty in controlling the distribution and spatial uniformity of light, leading to non-uniform film properties.

Ouyang, D., et,al

2019

They can achieve low processing temperatures, making them compatible with flexible, low-cost substrates like plastic.

Limited stability and solubility in organic solvents, which can affect the performance and reliability of the solar cell.

Kumari, S., et,al

2020

Rapid identification of promising materials for use in applications such as batteries or solar cells.

The limitation is that it is expensive, time-consuming, and requires specialized equipment for screening a large number of samples.

Hishimone, P. N., et,al

2020

One advantage of thin film fabrication is its ability to produce highly uniform and precise materials, improving the performance of energy devices.

One limitation is the high cost and complexity of the process, which may hinder large-scale production and use.

Chen, R., et,al

2019

One advantage of solution-processed metal-oxide thin-film transistors is their low-cost fabrication process compared to traditional methods.

Low carrier mobility, resulting in lower device performance and limiting their use in high-speed applications.

Modaresialam, M., et,al

2021

Nanoimprint lithography allows for precise and controlled patterning of inorganic materials, resulting in high-resolution structures with precise dimensions and geometries.

Difficult to achieve precise control over pattern size and placement due to material shrinkage and thermal expansion during processing.

Hsu, C. C., et,al

2019

High stability, as data can only be written once, reducing the risk of accidental data loss or alteration.

Limited number of write cycles, unable to modify previously stored data.

Wang, J., et,al

2018

It allows for rapid identification of materials with high sensitivity to hazardous gases, enabling faster and more efficient detection.

The screening may overlook less sensitive materials that still pose a risk at lower gas concentrations.

Lee, W. J., et,al

2021

The advantage of solution-processed metal oxide dielectric films is their low-cost and easy fabrication process compared to traditional methods.

Difficulty in controlling thickness and uniformity due to the reliance on solution deposition methods.

Yuan, Y., et,al

2020

Increased efficiency and stability of OLEDs due to precise control of hole injection and bandgap engineering through tailored WO x doping.

High complexity and cost of sol-gel process may not be feasible for large-scale production of UV organic LEDs.

 

Modaresialam, M., et,al. Nanoimprint lithography, a top down technique for the nanoscale patterning of inorganic materials, has been reported previously by Ref. . Essentially, this technique entails applying a stamp, the patterns of which one wants to be transferred, onto a thin layer of an inorganic material that forms an impression of the stamp itself. Functional devices including transistors, sensors, and optical components can be constructed using this process. Hsu, C. C., et,al.  have This is a write-once-read-many-times memory where a dry process of The sol-gel derived copper oxide semiconductor is described.  This means that data can be written once into memory and cannot be erased or rewritten, which makes it useful for permanent data storage or for security purposes. Wang, J., et,al. That high through put platform screening is a technique to be used to quickly evaluate the sensitivity of materials for the detection of hazardous gases at ultra low levels, parts per billion  This is useful to quickly discover and refine the most promising gas sensing materials. Lee, W. J., et,al. * Solution-processed metal oxide dielectric films were a promising class of materials flexible and inexpensive electronic devices  Os are well established for their benefits in cheap production, coating over a wide area, and compatibility with flexible substrates. Despite these advancements, there are still many challenges to be addressed before their full potential can be realized. Yuan, Y., et,al.  have reported on The buffer layers of sol-gel processed WOx doped with PEDOT, PSS, enabling holes to effectively inject into ultraviolet organic light-emitting diodes. It employs a customized approach to optimize hole transport in the device for improved function and potential future application in OLED.

 

DEVELOPMENT

Health Leadership in Telemedicine is a proposed development to reach and maximize the access of the populace through telecommunication and technology for a better quality of life. This development will include training and educating health leaders in remote areas on the effective use of telemedicine to fill the service gap with healthcare. In the first place, facilities must recognize essential fields with high impact of telemedicine services, for example, primary care, emergency services, and specialist consultations. Health leaders will then learn how to install equipment and run telemedicine sessions and electronic health records. This will also involve developing the country's existing healthcare structure in remote areas by providing primary resources including internet access, medical equipment, and information technology (IT). Others that encourage officials to work jointly with health care apparatuses at the local level, community organizations and varied stakeholders in paving the way for building a network and telemedicine services. The sustainability of this development will be ensured by continual support and training of the health leaders, and by periodic assessments to evaluate the impact of telemedicine on access to the health care and quality of life of the remote populations. Figure 1 shows the Proposed Development Model.

 

Figure 1. Proposed Development Model

 

Work characteristics are the elements of the job that can affect employee performance and health. These include task variety, autonomy, work schedule, and physical demands. These characteristics are key to shaping ideal work place environments, as well as employee productivity and satisfaction. What is Virtual Health? Also known as digital health, virtual health is the use of technology to deliver healthcare services and information. It encompasses telemedicine, mHealth apps, and remote patient monitoring. These tools are transforming the healthcare industry by making it easier for consumers to access health services and improving the efficiency of healthcare delivery. mHealth applications are specific types of mobile applications that enable users to track and monitor their health, access medical information and services, and connect with healthcare professionals. Using services such as gps, technology, and sensors the upload of data helps the data uploaded to an application enabling the application to provide the user personalized health insight giving them power over their health. Telemedicine (also called Telehealth) is the provision of healthcare services remotely by means of telecommunications technology. These services encompass video consultations, remote patient tracking, and other telemedicine services between patients and providers and patients. Telemedicine, as a mode of providing healthcare services without the need for in-person visits, has gained great significance in recent times, including during COVID-19. Hospitals provide a range of medical services, such as diagnoses, therapies, and rehabilitation for different conditions. It also offers access to specialized medical equipment and highly trained healthcare professionals.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

For example, the implementation of telemedicine has significantly increased access to healthcare professionals, which has ultimately improved the quality of life for many remote populations. Telemedicine enables remote consultations, diagnosis, and treatment so that people no longer have to travel long distances to receive medical treatment. This leads to savings in cost and time for patients and healthcare providers. Telemedicine allows the health leadership to institute a more patient-centric character to health delivery. Patient engagement — Through technology, patients can be more involved in their own health care and access to personalized care plans. It may result in improved health outcomes and higher patient satisfaction. Telemedicine: Challenges and Limitations There are still challenges and limitations to consider in the use of telemedicine, such as connectivity issues and privacy concerns. Leadership in health should not overlook these issues and work to further innovate and process telemedicine technologies to offer far better access to the treatment of remote populations. With effects of telemedicine across healthcare industry this reportenderers that positive impact on remote populations in accessing quality healthcare, but to reinforce this adaptation technology-based, the health leadership should invest in practices that enhances technology utilization in healthcare delivery.

 

Remote Access Coverage

Remote Access Coverage refers to the implementation and utilization of telemedicine technologies and services to provide healthcare leadership and improve access to quality care for remote populations. These populations may be located in underserved or rural areas with limited access to healthcare facilities and providers. Telemedicine allows for the remote delivery of medical services, such as consultations, diagnoses, and treatment, through the use of telecommunication technologies, including video conferencing, remote monitoring, and electronic health records.

 

Table 2. Comparison of Remote Access Coverage

No. of Inputs

Comparison Models

HTSM

OEM

PCM

HTMM

Proposed Model

10

65,38

49,21

28,45

71,49

93,16

20

62,29

54,87

27,45

74,14

94,84

30

69,47

56,26

34,12

72,31

90,45

40

61,71

48,68

32,24

73,82

92,34

50

63,84

51,37

41,54

76,21

94,57

 

It is important for telemedicine programs to address the technological requirements for remote access to ensure quality coverage for a wide and diverse population (ie, reliable internet connection and secure data transferability). They will also need to address any legal and regulatory barriers that could restrict the provision of remote care. Figure 2 shows the computation of Remote Access Coverage.

 

Figure 2. Computation of Remote Access Coverage

 

Telemedicine as a vehicle to accessibility is a view that should be advocated for in healthcare because it brings care to remote populations and improves quality of life. Healthcare leaders can utilize telemedicine to address the disparity in access to healthcare services and create a fairer allocation of resources to underserved areas.

 

Real-time communication

Telemedicine Real-time communication refers to the use of communication technology which enables real-time interaction between healthcare providers and patients in remote locations. It enables the provision of healthcare services, including consultations, diagnostics, and treatment, in real-time, without the requirement of physical proximity. Video conferencing technology: Video conferencing technology is one of the core technical components of real-time communication in telemedicine that facilitates face-to face-interaction between patients and providers in real-time.

 

Table 3. Comparison of Real-time communication

No. of Inputs

Comparison Models

HTSM

OEM

PCM

HTMM

Proposed Model

20

11,28

6,14

16,57

20,19

25,42

40

13,46

7,19

14,37

19,28

26,16

60

13,21

10,57

18,18

21,47

24,34

80

14,84

11,39

17,46

22,14

25,21

100

12,67

9,21

15,29

21,83

23,19

 

It also allows for the exchange of visual information like medical images and test results, as well as for treatment plans to be discussed and worked on collaboratively. Other essential technical requirements for telemedicine are high-speed internet connections, secure data transmission protocols, advanced medical devices for remote monitoring and examinations, and an efficient communication management system. Figure 3 shows the computation of Real-time communication.

 

Figure 3. Computation of Real-time communication

 

Real time communication in telemedicine can revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered. 

 

Data security and privacy

The health leadership engaged in providing telemedicine to remote populations must seek positive solutions to the challenges of data security and privacy with regard to this type of service. Playing it safe: Telemedicine entails technology-assisted collection, storage and the exchange of sensitive data about individuals receiving care. Therefore, it is vulnerable to possible breaches if proper security is lacking. Implementing Strong Encryption and Access Controls: Data security is paramount in health data governance, and health leadership needs to apply robust encryption techniques, access controls, and regular vulnerability assessments to protect patient data from unauthorized access.

 

Table 4. Comparison of Data security and privacy

No. of Inputs

Comparison Models

HTSM

OEM

PCM

HTMM

Proposed Model

30

73,83

66,47

40,78

91,78

21,23

60

75,34

75,14

41,56

92,36

32,43

90

74,61

73,83

45,17

95,29

55,47

120

70,83

75,34

37,34

93,47

32,43

150

72,91

74,61

41,12

92,14

85,92

 

It can also address how to educate healthcare providers on best practices when handling patient information, including the use of secure messaging platforms and adhering to strong password protocols. And privacy of data should be high on the list too. Figure 4 shows the computation of Data security and privacy.

 

Figure 4. Computation of Data security and privacy

 

This means that patient consent is acquired for data collection, and only the data that is required is collected and provided to authorized individuals. Compliance with privacy regulations, creeding, such as HIPAA, is also important to safeguard patient confidentiality.

 

CONCLUSIONS

Telemedicine is an effective way of increasing the accessibility of health care and improving the quality of life of people living in remote areas. Telehealth uses technology like video consultations and remote monitoring devices to link hospitals and clinics with people in rural locations. Telemedicine also promotes greater access to health care services. Telemedicine or online treatment is helpful for the remote population which does not have easy access to healthcare may be in need of timely treatment. This minimizes the travelling distance for the patients, consequently reducing their time and monetary expenses. 2) Telemedicine could improve the lives of individuals living in remote areas. Telemedicine The telemedicine system is extensively utilized in the area of medicine for the proper treatment and early diagnosis of diseases. It leads to the detection and proper management of the early onset of disease and better health outcomes as specialized medical expertise and services are available via telemedicine. Through remote monitoring, patients can also receive ongoing care and support that helps them manage their conditions and be healthier. Telemedicine can be a solution for a disparity gap between urban and rural healthcare. Telemedicine can ensure that people who live in remote areas receive that same level of care that you could in an urban environment by connecting remote populations with healthcare providers who are based in cities. Telemedicine implementation: A boost for health leadership for remote populations It is a formidable instrument for redressing healthcare inequities and advancing greater equity in the provision of care.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

1. Bretos, I., Jiménez, R., Ricote, J., & Calzada, M. L. (2020). Photochemistry in the low‐temperature processing of metal oxide thin films by solution methods. Chemistry–A European Journal, 26(42), 9277-9291.

 

2. Ouyang, D., Huang, Z., & Choy, W. C. (2019). Solution‐processed metal oxide nanocrystals as carrier transport layers in organic and perovskite solar cells. Advanced Functional Materials, 29(1), 1804660.

 

3. Kumari, S., Junqueira, J. R., Schuhmann, W., & Ludwig, A. (2020). High-throughput exploration of metal vanadate thin-film systems (M–V–O, M= Cu, Ag, W, Cr, Co, Fe) for solar water splitting: composition, structure, stability, and photoelectrochemical properties. ACS combinatorial science, 22(12), 844-857.

 

4. Hishimone, P. N., Nagai, H., & Sato, M. (2020). Methods of fabricating thin films for energy materials and devices. In Lithium-ion Batteries-Thin Film for Energy Materials and Devices. IntechOpen.

 

5. Chen, R., & Lan, L. (2019). Solution-processed metal-oxide thin-film transistors: A review of recent developments. Nanotechnology, 30(31), 312001.

 

6. Modaresialam, M., Chehadi, Z., Bottein, T., Abbarchi, M., & Grosso, D. (2021). Nanoimprint lithography processing of inorganic-based materials. Chemistry of Materials, 33(14), 5464-5482.

 

7. Hsu, C. C., Tsai, J. E., & Lin, Y. S. (2019). A write-once-read-many-times memory based on a sol-gel derived copper oxide semiconductor. Physica B: Condensed Matter, 562, 20-25.

 

8. Wang, J., Gao, S., Zhang, C., Zhang, Q., Li, Z., & Zhang, S. (2018). A high throughput platform screening of ppb-level sensitive materials for hazardous gases. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 276, 189-203.

 

9. Lee, W. J., Kwak, T., Choi, J. G., Park, S., & Yoon, M. H. (2021). Solution-processed metal oxide dielectric films: Progress and outlook. APL Materials, 9(12).

 

10. Yuan, Y., Zhang, X., Li, D., Zhang, X., Wang, L., Lu, Z., ... & Chi, F. (2020). Tailoring hole injection of sol–gel processed WO x and its doping in PEDOT: PSS for efficient ultraviolet organic light-emitting diodes. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 22(23), 13214-13222.

 

FINANCING

The authors did not receive financing for the development of this research.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

 

AUTHORSHIP CONTRIBUTION

Data curation: Adarsh Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Debasmita Tripathy.

Formal analysis: Adarsh Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Debasmita Tripathy.

Methodology: Adarsh Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Debasmita Tripathy.

Supervision: Adarsh Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Debasmita Tripathy.

Drafting - original draft: Adarsh Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Debasmita Tripathy.

Writing - proofreading and editing: Adarsh Kumar, Mukesh Sharma, Debasmita Tripathy.