TELEMEDICINE USE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC : PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 infection has become one of the current global health problems. The physical distancing and self-quarantine policies implemented to break the chain of disease complicate the interaction between doctors and patients. Telemedicine is a remote health service using electronic means for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injury, research and education, education of health service providers to improve health. The purpose of this literature review is to discuss the use of telemedicine during the current COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of using it for its use in future medical practice.

Methods: Literature searches were performed using the  search engines PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Literature search using a combination of keywords "clinical practice", "COVID-19", "telemedicine", "telehealth", "management" and "medical practice".

Discussion: The current COVID-19 crisis is causing an increasing burden on the health system. The use of telemedicine can apply the concept of "hospitality at home", namely medical care at home, where home care in some conditions is better than hospital treatment. However, the use of telemedicine is currently not getting enough attention from doctors and health policy makers so that the use of telemedicine cannot be maximized.

Conclusion: The use of telemedicine technology can help doctors in patient care interactions. Further research is needed to increase the effectiveness of telemedicine for better medical practice in the future.