The Difference Between Telehealth and Telemedicine: Learn How to Use These Terms Fluently

At Steelkiwi, we often see some confusion among business owners who try to label their remote healthcare services. Entrepreneurs that approach us use telemedicine and telehealth interchangeably in part because there are no generally accepted definitions for these terms. They both refer to the use of remote electronic communications. However, telemedicine and telehealth differ significantly.

This article explains the difference between telehealth and telemedicine. After reading it, you’ll be able to fluently use these terms in your everyday and professional life.

SOURCE: RURAL HEALTH QUARTERLY What is telehealth?

Telehealth is the use of telecommunication technologies like mobile phones, wearables, video conferencing, and electronic data (PDF reports, videos, and images) for facilitating remote medical services between patients and doctors or among many doctors.

As a type of healthcare service, telehealth comes in five forms.

Patient portals

Patient portals are online tools that promote improved doctor–patient relationships for better control over the treatment process. Such portals are either integrated with functionality that comes as part of an EHR system or are standalone systems.

Through patient portals, users can:

• schedule and cancel appointments
• refill prescriptions
• receive laboratory results
• review summaries of clinical visits
• update health insurance packages
• manage balances

For doctors, these portals help increase patient engagement, manage finances, establish workflows, and promote patient loyalty.

SOURCE: SELECTHUB

The MyQuest Patient Portal is a free and secure telehealth app for doctors and patients. Through this portal, users can check lab results, track overall health and medication adherence, review medical records, and refill prescriptions.

Professional networking

Mobile apps for professional networking connect physicians from around the globe with a powerful community they can turn to whenever they need help or a consultation. Via messaging and visual consultations, healthcare providers can connect with other medical experts to:

• get more data about a patient’s medical records
• discuss diagnoses and treatment options
• create private groups and collaborate with other specialists
• find or create events in their areas of interest
• expand clinical knowledge
• get real-time feedback on rare cases

For both patients and doctors, connecting through a telehealth mobile app or website eliminates travel and time-consuming in-person appointments.

SOURCE: FIGURE 1

Figure 1 is a professional network and a knowledge sharing platform that allows clinicians to access actual medical cases. Through Figure 1, doctors can share their knowledge, discuss rare cases, and even ask other clinicians for feedback.

Do you know the difference between telehealth and telemedicine? In short, all telemedicine is telehealth, but not all telehealth is telemedicine. They both refer to the use of remote electronic communications. This question often puzzles people. As a telemedicine app development company we've prepared an answer for you: telehealth vs telemedicine.

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