Telehealth Law Handbook

This text provides a concise, yet comprehensive overview of telemedicine in the ICU. The first part of the book reviews common issues faced by practitioners and hospital administrators in implementing and managing tele-ICU programs, including the merits of different staffing models, the challenges of building homegrown programs versus contracting for services, and the impact of state laws and payer policies on reimbursement for tele-ICU services. The second part of the book presents the current state of evidence for and against ICU telemedicine, based on clinical trials, before-and-after implementation studies, and observational data. The third part dives deeper into specific use cases for telemedicine in the ICU, including telestroke, pediatric and cardiac intensive care, and early treatment of declining patients with sepsis. Written by experts in the field, Telemedicine in the ICU is a practical guide for intensive care physicians and hospital administrators that provides all the information necessary in building and maintaining a successful tele-ICU program.

According to one of the numerous definitions of telemedicine "providing medicine at a distance" any doctor being trained in the use of some telematic devices could effort that practice. The reality is far from this because, to assure a safe practice, people have to learn and bear a minimum understanding of a wide range of topics: from economics to telecommunications and from medicine to legal aspects Technology learning is not limited to technology itself but linked to its social practical consequences in all their aspects. To guarantee that none of the aspects related with telemedicine are missed, this minimum knowledge has to be fixed, organised and in some way standardised. The main purpose of this book is to structure the basic knowledge linked to teaching to provide or practising telemedicine as well as an overview of the technology developments linked to this new discipline. As expressed in the title, the book is precisely structured as a "handbook" ( the only existing one ) whose main value is the joint opinion of all the participating authors of what are the minimum teaching requirements for anyone that would like to learn telemedicine. It is not a full treatise nor a complete recollection of all telemedicine applications or telemedicine basics. It was built with the aim of creating awareness to the academic authorities and health care community representatives on the fact that telemedicine practices in any of their aspects (technology development, telecommunications approach, law and regulations, medical practice), require a minimum knowledge that has to be respected in order to guarantee safe and appropriate medical practice. Nowadays this fact is enhanced by the evidence that welfare expenses cannot be endlessly increased, whilst an efficient health provision system in the context of the information society, will mark a new trend to configure health care practice in the next century. If training and teaching schemes are to cope with the demands of society it seems obvious that those careers and professions that are purvey to the Body of Knowledge BoK of telemedicine should consider structured and sufficient training in telemedicine.

Community health is an emerging and growing discipline of public health and it focuses on the physical, social, and mental well-being of the people of specific districts. This interdisciplinary field brings together aspects of health care, economics, environment, and people interaction. This handbook is a comprehensive reference on public health for higher education students, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers of health care. There are five key thematic sections in the book: perspectives in public health; community health in practise; planning, built, and social environment and community health; digital and mobile health; and, towards sustainable health in the community. Each theme explores the leading research and trends. This book aims to help achieve the shared goal of healthier communities and quality of life for the residents. This collaborative work should be a very useful handbook to health professionals and government bodies in the planning of initiatives to improve population health, prevent chronic diseases, control infectious diseases and outbreaks, and prepare for natural disasters. This handbook integrates research and practise of public health in the community.