Abstract
Objective
To reflect upon how telehealth services can contribute to dealing with the COVID-19.
Method
This reflective study was based on the literature addressing telehealth as a strategy to deal with the current pandemic due to the coronavirus.
Results
The COVID-19 has challenged the world’s healthcare systems, causing numerous deaths. Social distancing measures stand out among the strategies adopted to prevent the spread of the disease. Although face-to-face consultations play an essential role in the professional health-patient relationship, in-person visits become impracticable during pandemic situations. Hence, the use of technologies, such as telehealth services may prove necessary. This study enables a reflection upon how telehealth contributes to deal with the COVID-19.
Final considerations and implications for practice
Telehealth services are an important strategy to ensure the population has improved access to health services while improving the screening and monitoring of COVID-19 cases, supporting decreased mobility of people, and preventing the spread of the virus and the overload of healthcare services.
Keywords:
Telemedicine; Coronavirus; Pandemics; Health Services; Information Technology