Internet and Ehealth
The internet and Ehealth go together like peas and carrots. And since the pandemic
the relationship has received a hard push into an ideal marriage. EHealth has become
necessary since the pandemic before Covid, it was done as an option or convenience for
either the patient or the provider. The combine technology has continue to grow and lately
become a movement. “According to Pew Research Center approximately 52% of
American adults in 2000 said they used the Internet compared to 89% in early 2018; a
trend that is likely to continue rising.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2021.)
Ehealth has become a global movement with services with mobile and other
electronic devices. Devices where it has made communication (EHRs) and person records
between patients and providers possible. It has become accessible on phones, tablets,
computers and wearable tracking equipment. Patients who are older and others with
medical underlying causes are more prone to use eHealth. “Nearly half of respondents
used the internet to communicate with their health care provider.” (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. 2021.)The EHealth influence has been astronomical it is has
become the norm.
Second Discussion
Cost
“With great technology comes great cost.” Similar to the Spiderman quote of
“With great power come great responsibility” which applies to the same principles for
technology, however, technology comes with a greater price. Technology has made
amazing leap in healthcare but the advances are affecting cost to patients and providers.
One in specific is insurance, patients expect for all providers to have state of the art
technology to treat their conditions because they pay for it.“Health insurance removes
financial barriers to consumers, thus raising demand for technology and inducing providers
to offer a more expensive mix of services.”(Weinstein, & Neumann., 1991).Due to this
patients are referred to specialists who are expert in this technology which attract patents
with false sense of quality care. It is usually not the equipment but what it takes to operate
it.
So how is the government regulating the cost for the diffusion of technology? Back
in the 70s there were programs like fees for services physicians and cost- based insurance
to compensate for the technology even if the technology didn’t work. “Since providers
knew they would be reimbursed for their services, there was relatively little concern over
whether technologies were cost effective.” (Weinstein, & Neumann., 1991).
As time progress so did the technology. The new systems introduced to make the
technology cost effective marked anticipation for policy makers to establish reforms for
allocating these funds appropriately. One was the adoption of the Medicare Prospective
Payment System (PPS). This system in combination with the insurance plans were
gripping these technologies and incorporating incentives to providers who use them. “But
while these systems establish incentives for providers to be more cost conscious, they do
not necessarily ensure adoption of cost-effective technologies.” (Weinstein, & Neumann.,
1991).
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, December 1).EHealth literacy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 13, 2022, from
https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/researchevaluate/eHealth.html
Weinstein, M., & Neumann, P. (1991). The Diffusion of New Technology: Costs and
Benefits to Health Care. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234309/
