The difference between telehealth, telemedicine, and telecare

In response to COVID-19, the popularity and importance of remote health care have drastically increased. Accordingly, many people are wondering about the buzzwords they keep hearing and the differences between these words, in specific, telehealth, telemedicine, and telecare.

A frequent misunderstanding we continue to hear relates to the difference between telehealth, telemedicine, and telecare, or lack thereof. In reality, each of these words refers to a different way of administering remote health care. These are the differences between these increasingly popular words.

Telehealth

Telehealth includes a wide variety of technologies and services health care professionals utilize to improve the entire health care delivery system. patients. This term includes non-clinical services, such as provider training, administrative meetings, and continuing medical education, in addition to clinical services.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a subset of telehealth that refers specifically to clinical services. Health care professionals provide such services with electronic communications and software rather than an in-person visit at a practice. Telemedicine is often utilized for follow-up visits, management of chronic conditions, medication management, specialist consultation and many other services that can be provided remotely via video communication and two-way messaging.

Telecare

Finally, telecare is the use of communication technology to provide support from a distance. Unlike telehealth and telemedicine, it is continuous and automatic. Telecare practices monitor patients and minimize risks while allowing them to continue living in their own homes. Such risks might include a fall, the need for immediate medical attention, and more.

Whether you call it telehealth, telemedicine or telecare, the healthcare industry now connects patients with physicians regardless of the time or location. With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, this evolution is more important than ever before.

Telehealth with OhMD

OhMD offers a HIPAA compliant telehealth service that will help your practice to deal with COVID-19 as best as possible. Along with our two-way messaging and video communication features, we also offer a file delivery system, a broadcast system, and a live website chat, to name a few. Read our guide to HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Platforms to discover why your practice should implement a telehealth platform.

To learn more about OhMD, schedule a demo today!