Telehealth is a general term that can include education, consultation, videoconference meetings, and patient contact. Telemedicine usually refers solely to clinical patient encounters with a healthcare professional.
Telehealth as we know it has existed since the mid-1990s. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly expanded the awareness and use of telehealth.
Telehealth benefits patients and providers by:
- Expanding access.
- Supporting continuity of care.
- Improving convenience.
- Enabling earlier interventions.
- Reducing barriers.
- Supporting behavioral and mental health.
- Improving health equity.
- Enhancing system efficiency.
Telehealth is one part of digital health, which also includes:
- Remote monitoring
- Mobile apps
- Health information systems
- AI tools
Contact
Contact us via email (doh.information@doh.wa.gov).