What is telehealth and how does it differ from telemedicine?

• A. Telehealth is the broad use of telecommunications to deliver health services; telemedicine typically refers to remote clinical services.
• B. Telehealth refers to remote clinical services; telemedicine is the broad use of telecommunications.
• C. Telehealth involves only administrative tasks.
• D. Telehealth is a hardware device; telemedicine is software.

Answer: (A)

Telehealth covers the broad use of telecommunications and information technologies to deliver, support, and manage health care, education, administration, and public health. It includes remote clinical care as well as nonclinical activities like clinician education, administrative meetings, secure messaging, and remote patient monitoring. Telemedicine is the part that specifically involves remote clinical services—diagnosis, treatment, or direct patient care delivered from a distance. So a virtual visit with a clinician fits telemedicine, while activities such as remote monitoring of vital signs or a provider-led education session fit under telehealth. In short, telemedicine is remote clinical care; telehealth is the wider umbrella of all health-related services delivered through telecommunications.