Rise of Telehealth Services Industry

The rapid advancement of communication technologies over the past few decades has enabled the development of telemedicine and telehealth services. With video calls, remote patient monitoring devices, and electronic health records, healthcare providers can now evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients regardless of physical location. This has allowed patients in rural areas or developing nations to access care from specialist doctors in major cities or other countries. Early adopters of telehealth saw its potential to improve access to quality care, reduce costs, and expand services to underserved populations worldwide.

Growing Use Telehealth Services Industry

As the benefits of Telehealth Services became clear, more countries began implementing national telemedicine programs and connecting with partners abroad. For example, the US Veterans Health Administration established partnerships with telehealth organizations in India and the Philippines to provide overnight monitoring and interpretation of test results. Meanwhile, the UK began allowing patients to consult with physicians in other countries through its National Health Service. International teleconsultations help expand availability of subspecialists while controlling costs. Developing economies also utilize telehealth - India built an extensive network connecting rural clinics to urban hospitals.

Addressing Workforce Shortages

The lack of physicians, nurses and other providers is a chronic problem faced by many regions. Telehealth effectively multiplies the reach of existing clinicians to serve more patients. In sub-Saharan Africa, mobile telehealth programs supported by organizations like Philips Foundation utilize basic video calling on smartphones to link community health workers to remote doctors. This trains local staff and allows complex cases to get timely expert review without travel. Telerounding also helps medical schools expand teaching hospitals' capacity. For example, the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences uses telemedicine to virtually connect students and mentors at its rural training sites.

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