Telehealth in Pediatric Care

Regionalization of pediatric clinical services results in differential access to care, creating barriers for children with special healthcare needs and for those living in rural and underserved communities. These disparities in access contribute to inferior healthcare outcomes among infants, children, and adolescents. In this chapter, we broadly review the medical literature on telehealth and its use to improve access, patient-centered care, and quality of care to these patients. We review the use of telehealth in the settings of ambulatory care, behavioral health, school-based care, and hospital-based care, including labor and delivery, newborn nursery, and emergency department care. We also discuss the use of telehealth in direct to consumer models of care. In general, research demonstrates the feasibility and efficiencies gained with telehealth models of care and supports the notion that pediatric patients are more likely to receive care that adheres to evidence-based guidelines when telehealth is used. We present data that pediatric telehealth is effective and, in some cases, can significantly improve provider, patient, and family satisfaction, increase measures of quality of care and patient safety, and reduce overall costs of care.