Telemedicine as an innovative healthcare service – opportunities and challenges
Main Article Content
Abstract
Advances in digital technologies and rising patient expectations regarding the availability and flexibility of healthcare have accelerated the emergence of remote medical services. Among these, telemedicine has become one of the most rapidly expanding domains, enabling the delivery of clinical care through information and communication technologies. The COVID-19 pandemic markedly amplified this development, elevating telemedical tools from supplementary solutions to, in many cases, the primary means of interaction between patients and healthcare providers. The swift expansion of remote care during this period demonstrated its ability to broaden access, support both acute and chronic disease management, and enhance the operational performance of healthcare systems. Simultaneously, it drew attention to technological, regulatory, and organizational constraints that must be addressed before telemedicine can be fully integrated into standard healthcare pathways in modern-day healthcare systems across the world.
This article examines telemedicine as a novel modality of healthcare delivery by analyzing the main advantages and risks associated with its use, as well as the conditions required for its safe and efficient deployment. The purpose of the study is to assess the long-term potential of telemedicine to become a stable and valuable element of healthcare provision and to identify the technological, legal, organizational, and societal challenges that shape its adoption. The analysis is based on a review of scientific literature, sector reports, and applicable legal frameworks, focusing specifically on: (1) the range of telemedical solutions implemented in Poland and internationally, (2) the degree of innovativeness represented by these tools, (3) barriers to broader implementation, and (4) the balance between supply and demand in the telemedicine sector.
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