The COVID-19 pandemic has radically transformed Italian medicine and nursing, accelerating the adoption of telemedicine as an essential tool for patient management. Since the beginning of the health crisis, telemedicine has proven to be an effective means of continuing to provide medical care despite the restrictions imposed by the lockdown and the need to maintain social distancing.
Telemedicine During the Pandemic
In March 2020, many cardiology centers began converting some types of office visits to electronic visits using advanced technologies. Patients with devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators have been equipped with devices that use the 4G line to transmit information in real time to doctors, but also to provide nursing services (ADI Nurses, COT Nurses, IFoC Nurses). This remote monitoring has allowed us to maintain close control of patients’ conditions, reducing the need for physical visits.
What is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine integrates three scientific-disciplinary areas: telecommunications, information technology and medicine. Originally coined in the 1970s by Thomas Bird, telemedicine describes the practice of medicine at a distance, using interactive multimedia communication systems.
In 1990, a European Union Technical Commission defined telemedicine as a means to improve the quality of health services, facilitate the training of health professionals and optimize the transfer of data and experiences between European countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described telemedicine as the provision of healthcare services in situations where distance is a critical factor, using information technologies to exchange information useful for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases.
Telemedicine in the Context of COVID-19
During the pandemic, telemedicine has become a key element in patient management, especially for those with chronic conditions. The adoption of advanced technologies has made it possible to continuously monitor patients’ health status, including vital parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation.
Simultaneous advances in several technological fields, including the widespread use of mobile phones, increased bandwidth, and the development of increasingly powerful smartphones, have facilitated the adoption of telemedicine. Wireless medical technology, for example, involves the use of wearable sensors that transmit physiological data to a receiver (often a smartphone), which in turn sends the data to an online platform for remote monitoring and analysis.
Advantages of Telemedicine
The main advantages of telemedicine include:
- Continuous monitoring: It allows constant monitoring of patients’ vital parameters, reducing the risk of complications.
- Facilitated Access to Treatment: It allows patients to receive medical care without having to leave their home, reducing the burden on traditional healthcare services.
- Cost Reduction: It can reduce costs associated with hospitalizations and outpatient visits by optimizing healthcare resources.
- Improved Quality of Life: Patients can better manage their chronic conditions through greater convenience and easier access to care.
Future perspectives
Telemedicine has the potential to radically transform the healthcare system, making medical care more accessible and efficient. With the integration of advanced technologies and continuous innovation, telemedicine can significantly improve the quality of healthcare, while reducing costs and increasing patient satisfaction.
The implementation of these systems during the pandemic has demonstrated their effectiveness, paving the way for a more widespread and integrated use of telemedicine even beyond the COVID-19 emergency.
