Abstract
Introduction: Telemedicine, virtual healthcare, and digital health care are becoming part of health care globally with increasing adoption. Emerging technical innovations and applications are demonstrating further enhancement of these tools with additional benefits as applied to healthcare and public health. These include but are not limited to; 1) Artificial Intelligence 2) Geographic Information Systems, 3) Health Information Exchange and Community Information Exchange, 4) knowledge sharing, education and case review platforms, 5) mobile health, 6) improved communication networks with access to the internet that enables more equitable access use of these tools., and 7) public-private partnerships.
Methods/Approach: This article reviews some of the notable innovations and how they can be applied in a manner that adds value for both healthcare providers and their patients, as well as enhancing public health in general and advancing global health. Input from the authors as subject matter experts and the use of artificial intelligence platforms for reference searches were used to complete the review.
Results: 1) artificial intelligence is providing clinical decision support tools, diagnostic screening and pattern recognition, enhanced rapid research and review of current approaches to a wide variety of health issues and the rapidly expanding literature and knowledge, 2) geographic information systems (GIS) provide the spatial framework for integrating individual and contextual data into actionable decision support. By enhancing situational awareness, identifying vulnerable populations, optimizing resource allocation, and supporting surveillance, preparedness and response, GIS enables more precise and equitable public health interventions, 3) Health Information Exchange and Community Information Exchange to provide interoperability across data sources, sharing needed information, and coordination of health and community services that better serve patients, the public, and continuity of care, 4) A novel knowledge sharing, education case review model (, 5) Mobile Health solutions taking healthcare where the people are, 6) Cellular phone networks and low earth orbit satellite systems are emerging as enhancements to internet access and support for telemedicine, virtual care, and digital health with incorporation of new innovation, and 7) synergistic public-private collaborative partnerships that advance these innovations.
Conclusions: Innovations in telemedicine, virtual care, and digital health are demonstrating enhancements that could add value for healthcare providers, patients, and public health. It will be important to recognize that these tools should not replace the human factors and ultimate decision making but rather enhance those decisions in a manner that improves the quality of care and overall public health along with better coordination of geographically targeted and equitable application of critical resources when and where they are needed.