Telemedicine can help reduce inequalities in rural healthcare and ease pressure of physician shortages, writes David Joosten, president and CEO of Vodafone U.S., in Forbes Dec. 16.
In rural areas, remote patient monitoring can be used to cut down on patient readmissions and reduce expenses for patients, Mr. Joosten said. He also argues that RPM creates high satisfaction in patients as they can focus on recovery from the comfort of their own homes. RPM also allows physicians to care for more patients, allowing them to be in more than one place at the same time.
Mr. Joosten also emphasizes the power of 5G networks and edge computing, which allow for faster processing of patient data. The near real-time capabilities of the network expand possibilities for medical training, including live streaming of surgery for medical students and training models that use artificial intelligence.
He encourages hospitals and health systems to embrace digital technology and use it to advance their teams and patient outcomes.