Benefits of Telehealth across different socio-economic communities

Vital Care Services (VICS) is a Telehealth servicing company which addresses the national healthcare issue by providing cost effective health and wellness solutions to patients through the use of technology. The Telehealth technology is operated by software on commercially produced tablets and is simple to navigate. The cellular tablets relay vital sign measurements, medication reminders, personalized daily questions, and immediate clinical advice which connects patients to a healthcare provider at all times. This paper addresses the benefits of telehealth, in particular if telehealth can improve the quality of care of older adults, expand healthcare access and reduce healthcare costs of older adults in different socio-economic communities (low and high income). In addition to discussing some of the key benefits of telehealth, there is also a focus on how telehealth promotes health-awareness in patients which improves their blood pressure, oxygen saturation and weight. The study was conducted with the assistance of undergraduate students as well as a research grant from the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Participants had their blood pressure, oxygen saturation and weight monitored biweekly by telehealth technician assistants. The conclusions addressed in this paper are drawn from the data collected during the course of the study, as well as various other published studies. The result of this study concludes that telehealth benefits both low and high income retirement communities immensely. The key difference found is that high-income retirement communities already have more access to healthcare; however, telehealth still benefited participants from these communities. Telehealth effectively reduces healthcare costs of older adults by either a telehealth intervention which prevents exacerbated medical emergencies or from fewer doctor visits because participants were able to keep track of and monitor their own vital signs through telehealth. The servi- es of telehealth also provide more access to healthcare, particularly to low-income communities and give older adults the opportunity to improve their overall health.