Exploring the benefits and limitations of using telemedicine in unscheduled care
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Exploring the benefits and limitations of using telemedicine in unscheduled care

Kirsty Limeira Thomson Advanced nurse practitioner, Forth Medical Group – Alba Medical Group, Grangemouth, Scotland
Lindy Morrison PhD student, Nursing and Health Care School, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
Mark Cooper Nurse consultant – advanced practice, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland
Bridget Johnston Clinical professor of nursing and palliative care/ director of research/chief nurse research, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland

Why you should read this article:
  • To acknowledge the increasing use of telemedicine in unscheduled care settings

  • To recognise the limitations of the use of telemedicine in unscheduled care

  • To appreciate the potential benefits for patients and healthcare providers of using telemedicine in unscheduled care

Telemedicine is increasingly used in healthcare settings, including in unscheduled care. This article details the findings of a literature review that aimed to determine the benefits and limitations of using telemedicine in unscheduled care. The findings suggest that the use of telemedicine can be cost-effective for patients and healthcare providers and may reduce hospital transfer and admission rates. However, patients’ digital literacy and communication needs, as well as technical issues, were identified as limitations. Further research is needed on the use of telemedicine in unscheduled care to determine how it affects patient care.

Emergency Nurse. doi: 10.7748/en.2024.e2210

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@lindymorrison84

Correspondence

0206769m@student.gla.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Limeira Thomson K, Morrison L, Cooper M et al (2024) Exploring the benefits and limitations of using telemedicine in unscheduled care. Emergency Nurse. doi: 10.7748/en.2024.e2210

Published online: 16 September 2024

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