Telemedicine and Occupational Health

Volkan MEDENİa, Sultan Pınar ÇETİNTEPEa , Mustafa Necmi İLHANa

aGazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Ankara, Türkiye

ABSTRACT
The advent of technology ushered in the era of telemedicine, revolutionizing healthcare access. Telemedicine leverages electronic information and communication technologies to bridge the gap in healthcare services due to geographical distances. Telemedicine’s application extends to occupational health, offering solutions to challenges such as regional disparities, resource limitations, and geographic distances. Notably, telemedicine has played a crucial role during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID19) pandemic, allowing healthcare workers to provide remote care and screen for occupational health issues. In occupational health, telemedicine offers remote diagnostics and consultations, quick problem resolution, enhanced awareness, and continuous health monitoring. However, barriers to its adoption include technological limitations, data security concerns, and legal complexities. To realize the full potential of telemedicine in occupational health, it is essential to address these challenges and ensure universal access, data protection, and compliance with legal regulations. Ultimately, telemedicine holds promise as a transformative tool for safeguarding employee health and enhancing workplace safety.
Keywords: Telemedicine; occupational diseases; occupational health; occupational health physicians

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