Investigating the effectiveness of Telehealth and Telenursing services

ABSTRACT

Introduction: New technologies play an important role in the health industry, providing solutions in the fields of Telehealth and Telenursing. The use of digital technology in healthcare has been further enhanced by the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted in the PubMed database using specific keywords: “Telehealth AND Nursing” and “Telenursing” and a time limit of two years. From the initial search, 918 studies were found, of which 13 were finally evaluated.
Results: Telehealth and Telenursing interventions are associated with improved patient compliance with medication and increased satisfaction with the use of digital technology, while the complementary use of new remote technologies along with the provision of standard care is recommended for optimal effectiveness. In addition, there is a reduction in readmissions, an improvement in quality of life and a reduction in patients' anxiety and clinical symptoms. Also, the medical and nursing staff seem to comply satisfactorily with the use of new technologies, while a further training is deemed necessary to improve efficiency and acquire the necessary digital skills.
Conclusions: The Telehealth and Telenursing services can supplement and support effectively the in-life health services, especially in cases when geographical limitations are observed.

Keywords: telenursing, Telehealth, nursing informatics, internet of things