Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Jan;79(1-2):169-76.
doi: 10.1038/pr.2015.192. Epub 2015 Oct 14.

Addressing health disparities in rural communities using telehealth

James P Marcin  1 , Ulfat Shaikh  1 , Robin H Steinhorn  1
Affiliations
Review

Addressing health disparities in rural communities using telehealth

James P Marcin et al. Pediatr Res. 2016 Jan.

Abstract

The regionalization of pediatric services has resulted in differential access to care, sometimes creating barriers to those living in underserved, rural communities. These disparities in access contribute to inferior healthcare outcomes among infants and children. We review the medical literature on telemedicine and its use to improve access and the quality of care provided to pediatric patients with otherwise limited access to pediatric subspecialty care. We review the use of telemedicine for the provision of pediatric subspecialty consultations in the settings of ambulatory care, acute and inpatient care, and perinatal and newborn care. Studies demonstrate the feasibility and efficiencies gained with models of care that use telemedicine. By providing pediatric subspecialty care in more convenient settings such as local primary care offices and community hospitals, pediatric patients are more likely to receive care that adheres to evidence-based guidelines. In many cases, telemedicine can significantly improve provider, patient, and family satisfaction, increase measures of quality of care and patient safety, and reduce overall costs of care. Models of care that use telemedicine have the potential to address pediatric specialists' geographic misdistribution and address disparities in the quality of care delivered to children in underserved communities.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. BMC Health Serv Res. 2008 Feb 04;8:30 - PubMed
    1. Paediatr Anaesth. 2005 Nov;15(11):944-7 - PubMed
    1. JAMA Pediatr. 2014 Apr;168(4):361-70 - PubMed
    1. J Pediatr. 2010 Jun;156(6):1011-5, 1015.e1 - PubMed
    1. Mil Med. 2013 Feb;178(2):218-21 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources

  NODES
COMMUNITY 2
twitter 2