Balogun, et. Al (2005)
- Yes, the description of telehealth is exactly what I expected. One thing that surprised me was using telehealth to offer parenting education for at-risk families. I can see how this could prevent Child Services from removing kids or worse, possibly death.
- I agree that telehealth can be important for people with disabilities. Often, these people are forgotten, especially if they are in rural areas where it may not be as accessible as someone in or near the city.
- The author did not address several important ways telehealth is now being used in school settings, including school‑based mental health services, truancy‑related interventions, and virtual family–school conferencing.
- For me, the most significant challenge with telehealth is access to broadband internet. Though the internet has become more accessible with cellphone usage, many still don’t have access, limiting telehealth opportunities.
Zhu, et al. (2024)
- What surprised me most was how quickly practitioners became comfortable using telemedicine once the pandemic required it. Their comfort levels rose much faster than I expected, especially since many were unsure about the technology before COVID‑19. Even providers who were uncomfortable at first became comfortable once they had to use it regularly. This showed me that the sudden shift wasn’t driven by preference but by necessity, and people adapted far more rapidly than I would have assumed.
- The level of telemental health use during the pandemic was higher than I expected. The study shows that daily use jumped from “17.1% before to 40.6% during the pandemic” and that providers serving most of their caseload remotely increased from “9.1% to 57.7%.” I knew usage would rise, but I didn’t expect it to grow this quickly or become the main way many providers delivered care.
- Two factors that I identified as factors that could affect telemedicine going forward were provider specialty and location. The study found that mental health counselors were more likely than social workers or psychologists to continue using telemedicine. This is probably because some professions’ clientele needs are a better fit with telehealth and their work. Also, location plays a big part as well. Providers working in rural areas were more likely to keep using telemedicine compared to those in urban or suburban settings. Telehealth helps close access gaps for people who live far from mental health services.
- When I eventually begin practicing, telehealth will remain an essential option in my work. Clients deserve multiple pathways to access care, and telehealth expands those possibilities in meaningful ways. It is valuable as a professional tool and I see it from my personal experience too. I have relied on telehealth several times when seeking guidance from a nurse about my child, especially in moments when I was unsure whether a hospital visit was necessary. Those experiences reinforced how practical, accessible, and reassuring telehealth can be for families.
Charles,
I would have loved to hear a bit more about your thinking regarding Balogun, et. al. Yes, you answered the questions, but I like to think there was more to talk about.
In terms of Zhu et. al., I think you make a good point about the speed of the change. I believe we all made these changes because of an intense moment – and that had an influence on how quickly we were willing to figure it out. I also think that specialty is a good point. I think that translates into services provided. Different settings and the actual differences in the work made a difference in how we felt about telehealth.
Dr P