NR 706 Week 3 Consumer Informatics/Telehealth Case Study

NR 706 Week 3 Consumer Informatics/Telehealth Case Study

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-706: Healthcare Informatics & Information Systems

Prof. Name:

Date

Week 3: Consumer Informatics/Telehealth Case Study

Case Overview

Mr. Kasich, a 77-year-old male, was admitted to the emergency department following a fall when attempting to get out of bed. At admission, his blood glucose level was found to be critically low at 35 mg/dL. He was diagnosed with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus with hypoglycemia, despite a history of fairly stable glycemic control. His medical history also includes advanced congestive heart failure and lung cancer. He is insured through Medicare Parts A and B and resides in a rural community approximately 40 miles away from the nearest healthcare provider. Fortunately, he is technologically skilled and comfortable using his home computer, which is a strength in adapting to telehealth services.

In comparison, Mr. Lane, a 42-year-old long-haul truck driver, was admitted to the hospital for acute worsening of heart failure. His medical history also includes type 2 diabetes mellitus. Unlike Mr. Kasich, he is single, has private insurance, and primarily lives in his truck due to his occupation.

Both patients are being discharged with telehealth support, including remote monitoring systems that track weight, blood glucose, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. The data is sent directly to a telehealth nurse for evaluation. While telehealth lacks the physical presence of face-to-face visits, its primary objectives are to reduce hospital readmissions, enhance patient satisfaction, promote independence, and improve health outcomes. It also emphasizes patient empowerment, which is a cornerstone of modern nursing practice.

How Can Telehealth Assist in Equality of Health Care Resource Distribution?

Telehealth is instrumental in bridging gaps in healthcare delivery by expanding access to patients who face geographic, economic, or social challenges. It allows individuals living in underserved regions—such as rural or remote communities—to receive ongoing medical monitoring without the strain of frequent travel. For instance, Mr. Kasich benefits from receiving consistent diabetes and heart failure monitoring while living far from specialized care centers.

Telehealth also contributes to fairness in healthcare distribution by addressing provider shortages, reducing travel costs, and enabling timely interventions that prevent complications. However, equity can only be achieved when systemic barriers are tackled. Key obstacles include poor broadband infrastructure, limited access to devices, financial hardship, and insufficient digital literacy. By implementing supportive policies, enhancing training, and expanding broadband coverage, healthcare systems can ensure that telehealth fosters inclusion, efficiency, and equal access to resources for all patients, regardless of location or socioeconomic status (Edirippulige & Armfield, 2017).

Barriers to Achieving Health Equity in Telehealth

Several challenges impede the equitable expansion of telehealth services:

• Equity in Access: Many rural regions lack reliable high-speed internet, restricting telehealth opportunities.

• Respect and Self-Determinism: Some patients perceive technology-driven care as impersonal, potentially reducing their autonomy and trust in the healthcare system.

• Health Literacy and Digital Competence: Limited computer skills and health literacy may prevent patients from using telehealth effectively.

• Cyclic Disadvantage: Vulnerable populations often face ongoing poverty, chronic disease, and restricted resources, perpetuating poor health outcomes.

• Healthcare Disparities: Minority groups, low-income families, and older adults may disproportionately experience these barriers (Nouri et al., 2020).

Addressing these challenges requires multifaceted strategies, including patient education, culturally sensitive approaches, expanded digital infrastructure, and targeted funding for underserved communities.

Patient Comparison: Benefits of Telehealth and Ethical Considerations

Comparison Table

Ethical Considerations from the Nurse’s Perspective

Nurses play a critical role in ensuring that telehealth implementation is grounded in ethical principles. Respect for autonomy is essential, which involves making sure both patients understand how telehealth devices function and are capable of making informed decisions. Nurses must also advocate for equitable care delivery, ensuring that both rural patients like Mr. Kasich and mobile workers like Mr. Lane receive comparable quality of healthcare support.

Confidentiality and privacy are major ethical concerns, especially for Mr. Lane, who may access telehealth platforms from public or unsecured networks. Nurses must emphasize secure data handling, educate patients about safe usage, and ensure HIPAA compliance. Furthermore, cultural sensitivity is vital in maintaining respect and trust, as patients may hold differing expectations regarding the delivery of digital healthcare.

By aligning care with ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice (Beauchamp & Childress, 2019), nurses can help ensure that telehealth strengthens trust and equity in patient care.

Conclusion

Telehealth has emerged as a transformative healthcare model that enhances patient autonomy, prevents unnecessary hospital readmissions, and improves quality of care. For Mr. Kasich, telehealth alleviates the burden of distance and facilitates ongoing monitoring of complex health conditions. For Mr. Lane, it provides continuity of care despite a nontraditional, mobile lifestyle.

However, to achieve true health equity, challenges such as digital literacy, internet connectivity, and ethical issues of privacy must be addressed. Nurses, through education, advocacy, and ethical practice, are central to ensuring that telehealth not only supports patient-centered care but also reduces disparities across diverse populations.

References

Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of biomedical ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Edirippulige, S., & Armfield, N. R. (2017). Education and training to support the use of clinical telehealth: A review of the literature. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 23(2), 273–282. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X16632968

NR 706 Week 3 Consumer Informatics/Telehealth Case Study

Nouri, S., Khoong, E. C., Lyles, C. R., & Karliner, L. (2020). Addressing equity in telemedicine for chronic disease management during the COVID-19 pandemic. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.1056/CAT.20.0123