| Abstract
Background: Telehealth has been defined as the remote delivery of healthcare services using
information and communication technology. Where resource-limited health systems face challenges
caused by the increasing burden of chronic diseases and an aging global population, telehealth has been
advocated as a solution for changing and improving the paradigm of healthcare delivery to cope with
these issues. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effect of telehealth interventions on
two indicators: hospitalization rate and length of stay.
Materials and Methods: The reviewers searched the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Springer
electronic databases from January 2005 to November 2013. A search strategy was developed using a
combination of the following search keywords: impact, effect, telehealth, telemedicine, telecare,
hospitalization, length of stay, and resource utilization. Both randomized controlled trials and
observational studies were included in the review. To be included in the review, articles had to be written
in English. The results of study were compiled, reviewed, and analyzed on the basis of the review aims.
Results: This systematic review examined 22 existing studies with a total population of 19,086
patients. The effect of telehealth on all-cause hospitalization was statistically significant in 40 percent of
the related studies, whereas it was not statistically significant in 60 percent. Similarly, the effect of
telehealth on the all-cause length of stay was statistically significant in 36 percent of the studies and
nonsignificant in 64 percent.
Conclusion: Considering the fact that hospitalization rate and length of stay can be confounded by
factors other than telehealth intervention, studies examining the effect of the intervention on these
indicators must take into account all other factors influencing them. Otherwise any judgment on the effect
of telehealth on these indicators cannot be valid. |