While opportunities for telehealth have been around for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic has catapulted its use to the forefront of care delivery as a method to protect both patients and health care workers and to reduce the burden on health systems.
The terms "telehealth" and "telemedicine" are often used interchangeably. Telehealth services are typically viewed more broadly than telemedicine, encompassing a wider scope of remote activities. Telemedicine can be considered a type of telehealth but refers specifically to remote clinical services such as diagnosis and treatment.
IHI has developed a list of resources to assist the health care community with implementation of telehealth services, particularly within the COVID-19 context, with the understanding that more work needs to be done to develop high-quality telehealth that is safe, effective, efficient, timely, patient centered, and equitable.
Featured Resource
This white paper describes a framework to guide health care organizations in their efforts to provide safe, equitable, person-centered telemedicine. The framework includes six elements to consider: access, privacy, diagnostic accuracy, communication, psychological and emotional safety, and human factors and system design.
Download White Paper
Resources from IHI
Background, Research, and Comprehensive Sites
Resources for Improving the Quality and Safety of Telehealth
Resources for Improving Health Equity in Telehealth
Resources for Ensuring Person-Centered Telehealth
Resources for Physicians, Nurses, and Other Health Care Professionals
Resources on Telehealth for Care of Older Adults
For additional resources for the older adult population, visit IHI's
COVID-19 Resources: Care of Older Adults web page.
Regulation and Reimbursement
