Advantages and Disadvantages of Telemedicine in Medicine: A Review Study

Azam Erfanifa; Seyyed Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi; Zahra Abbasi; Haideh Mosleh; Samane Zand; Mohammad Mehdi Atarod; Fariborz Rashnoo; Sahar Kavand; Mahdi Khatuni; Samaneh Ahmadi

doi:10.18502/jzms.v7i1.17725

Azam Erfanifa Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyyed Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zahra Abbasi Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University Of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Haideh Mosleh Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Samane Zand Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Mehdi Atarod Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Hasheminejad Kidney Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fariborz Rashnoo Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sahar Kavand Department of Sports Medicine, School of Medicine, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahdi Khatuni Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Samaneh Ahmadi Skull Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jzms.v7i1.17725

Keywords: Telemedicine; Internal medicine; General surgery; Otolaryngology; Urology; Sport medicine

Abstract

Background: Telemedicine is a branch of medical science that provides various medical services remotely. Like any other method, it has some advantages and disadvantages. This study aimed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine.

Methods: This review study aimed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine, focusing on internal medicine, general surgery, urology, and otolaryngology. Articles in Pubmed and Medline databases with the keywords "telemedicine," "telehealth," "internal medicine," "general surgery," "urology," and "otolaryngology" from 2020 to 2024 were reviewed.

Results: Based on the information obtained from the studies, patients and doctors in various fields tended highly to use telemedicine. In internal medicine, most of the visits, management, and treatment protocols were accessible by telemedicine. In the surgical fields, most studies focused on pre- and post-operative visits, and the results of most studies were satisfactory. The benefits of telemedicine, according to the studies, included reducing the costs of the healthcare system, saving time for the doctor and the patient, saving the distance traveled for the patient, and improving the quality of the visit, similar to an in-person visit. The disadvantages of telemedicine in these studies included the inability of the doctor to perform physical examination, the lack of feeling between the patient and the doctor, and the lack of quality of video and audio communication.

Conclusion: Telemedicine can be used as an optimal method in medicine, but its disadvantages also need to be addressed.