Telemedicine in Prisons
The Benefits of Using Telemedicine in Prisons
Telemedicine is the delivery of health care services over technological devices in real time. For example, a person who may have had a stroke in a rural place could be evaluated by a neurologist located in an urban hospital in order to determine the stroke's severity and initiate early treatment that could save the patient's life. Telemedicine uses technology that allows for real-time audio and video. Consider these leading benefits of using telemedicine in prisons.
Allow Prisoners to Receive Specialty Care
Taking a prisoner out of the prison to receive medical care from a specialist is a considerable logistical undertaking. It would require multiple guards to accompany the prisoner to an urban environment where the specialist is located. This diversion of resources is costly and not always possible in prisons that are already understaffed. In a survey of people in need of specialty care, 88.5 percent of respondents reported that telemedicine made it easier for them to gain access to a medical specialist.[1] By using telemedicine, a prisoner would not have to leave the confines of the prison to have access to the specialty care.
Reduce the Waiting Time for Essential Health Care Services
Some prisons house thousands of individuals. All of these people need regular medical checkups as well as service to keep chronic conditions or diseases in check. The waiting time to see the on-staff prison physician could be many weeks or months. While waiting, a person could experience a worsening of the problem. With telemedicine, prisoners could enjoy enhanced timeliness of medical services.[2] Telemedicine could also reduce the administrative time needed in order to secure medical care for a person who is in prison. Instead of having to wait months to see an endocrinologist for diabetes care, a prisoner could see a specialist much sooner through telemedicine services.
Lower the Cost of Providing Health Care
Prison physicians often end up working overtime to provide the care that all the prisoners need. Overtime payments to the staff doctors could prove to be much costlier than using telemedicine services. Transporting a patient to an outside facility is also costly for the prison system. By setting up a telemedicine service, there will be less administrative costs, no travel expenses and no overtime wages to pay. This could help the prison system better contain the costs of prisoner health care needs.
Get an Earlier Diagnosis and Monitor Health More Easily
Regular monitoring of chronic diseases is easier to accomplish through telemedicine. Conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or diabetes could be checked on remotely with up-to-date technology. This health monitoring could reduce complications and lower the overall costs of health care. Telemedicine also makes it easier to get an early diagnosis of certain health conditions. For example, a prisoner who has chronic hepatitis diagnosed before cirrhosis of the liver sets in could avoid the need for costly treatments or a liver transplant. With telemedicine, the prisoner in need of health care could begin treatment at an earlier stage in the course of a disease, which may make treatment less expensive and more successful at managing the chronic condition.If you are interested in discussing how a telemedicine doctor network can help your healthcare organization, please click below.Contact us to find out more!References:1. https://telehealth.utmb.edu/presentations/Benefits_Of_Telemedicine.pdf2. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110728006848/en/10-Benefits-Telemedicine-eHealth-Health