Telemedicine and public health–pearls and pitfalls

Abstract

We hereby comment on the interesting systematic review by Grewal et al where they have provided an overall picture of the current status of available tele-health programs in the United States with emphasis on the Amazon Clinic. Their analysis is an appreciable effort in discovering the features available and features lacking in these tele-health programs. The concept of tele-health originated to curtail the need for physical attendance of patients at health clinics, and has been beneficial during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We implore that the pearls and pitfalls of these programs have to be understood by policymakers prior to forming a consensus regarding the availability, accessibility and affordability of these programs as methods of healthcare delivery. Unrestricted proliferation of tele-health programs in their current form may pose threats to patient and provider safety and medicolegal liability. However, patients and providers must work together to improve them to meet their expectations and enable them to provide the best care for the ailing public.

Keywords: Telemedicine; Remote Access; Availability; Accessibility; Affordability; Ethics; Privacy; Medicolegal liability

Core Tip: The systematic review by Grewal et al has provided an overall picture of the current status of available tele-health programs in the United States with emphasis on the Amazon Clinic. We present the pearls and pitfalls of these programs in a critical analysis to conclude with a warning that unrestricted proliferation of tele-health programs in their current form may pose threats to patient and provider safety and medicolegal liability. However, patients and providers must work together to improve them to meet their expectations and enable them to provide the best care for the ailing public.