Telemedicine and Disadvantaged Groups

Hülya ŞİRİNa , İbrahim Sefa GÜNEŞa

aUniversity of Health Sciences Gülhane Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Ankara, Türkiye

ABSTRACT
Nowadays, telemedicine has experienced a major transformation in the field of healthcare and has provided patients with better service delivery opportunities. However, it is a fact that these technological advances are not equally accessible to all segments of society. Disadvantaged groups are defined as groups that need protection and care compared to the majority of the society, have difficulty in participating in different areas of social life. Disadvantaged groups can include people with disabilities, the elderly, children and young people, migrants, women, illiterate people, people with economic inadequacy, single-parent families, the poor, homeless people, ex-convicts, rural dwellers, retired people, people affected by natural disasters, people with language barriers and different cultural structures and religions. This can complicate the implementation of telemedicine services for disadvantaged groups. Health organizations and governments should strive to develop solutions that are appropriate to the needs of these groups and help them overcome these barriers.
Keywords: Public health; telemedicine; vulnerable populations; remote consultation; telerehabilitation

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