Telemedicine and Telehealth are new buzzwords circulating through our vocabulary. Many are excited about the potential of this technology to change healthcare delivery as we know it. People make hyperbolic and ultra-optimistic projections about how easy and effective it would be and how much of a game-changer it could be for the healthcare system. However, as with all new technology, there are some critical questions to ask, as it can have unintended consequences.

Telemedicine is a technology that allows for the diagnosis, check-up, and treatment of patients without the physical presence of a medical doctor. According to the report from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska has thirteen counties with no primary care physicians. The argument is that rural communities without a primary care physician would benefit from this technology. But is that true?

A critical aspect of the doctor-patient relationship is trust. Most have personal doctors whom they trust and go to whenever they get sick or for a routine check-up. These relationships are built over the years. Can a telehealth voice-over inspire such trust?

Studies have shown that confidence in a physician accelerates the recovery process — a placebo of sorts. Some question whether that is possible with telemedicine, thinking it wouldn't be as widespread or successful as with a real doctor. 

Misdiagnosis is a big problem, both in-person and virtual. However, it is more prevalent in telehealth diagnoses. A stranger without exhaustive medical history could misdiagnose and do more harm than good. It could lead to a healthcare price hike, as unwanted prescriptions and recommendations are made to patients. A study found a third of antibiotics prescribed to be unnecessary. Add that to the mountain of other unnecessary drugs, and prices of pharmaceuticals would skyrocket.

There are also technical limitations of the telehealth system. The telehealth system is based on text, video, and audio for diagnosis and analysis, significantly undercutting the physician's examination. 

Years of medical practice have attuned providers to telltale signs and other intuitions, picking up subtle cues to extrapolate and come up with a diagnosis. This is not possible with a telehealth system, much less a stranger.

Senior citizens struggle with technology, spurning a need for massive awareness and educational campaigns. Additionally, there is limited access to broadband internet in the same rural areas that lack health care providers; senior citizens and these rural communities are disproportionately affected. 

So many programs and campaigns are needed to make Telehealth, a breeding ground for misdiagnoses and overprescribing, succeed. These resources would be better spent on more medical facilities in these rural communities.

Telehealth seems like a good idea, but like all ideas, it needs to be subjected to rigorous analysis.