Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
The adoption of telehealth in New Zealand has been on the rise in recent years. Most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a significant shift in the provision of health care services with telehealth services a key tool in preventing the spread of the virus and protecting healthcare workers from the illness.
ASMS has written a Research Brief that discusses the development of telehealth and issues related to its uptake. It follows ASMS’ previous reporting on telemedicine (ASMS 2018).
This paper defines telehealth and considers the reasons why it has developed. It then goes on to discuss the various benefits of telehealth particularly in the New Zealand context and addresses some of the challenges associated and various barriers to its uptake.
Finally, the Research Brief looks at how Covid-19 has changed the landscape of telehealth in New Zealand and considers future directions.
