2719 엄서영

 Telehealth-system is defined as a service of providing all medical activities such as communication, diagnosis, treatment, evaluation, and monitoring of doctors and patients using remote information and digital network technology. It has been introduced in Korea since 2002, but telehealth-system and prescription have not yet been legally approved. On the other hand, in foreign countries such as United States and China, telehealth-system services have expanded and are being used in various ways. In Korea, Opinions on telehealth-system are fierce, and opinions on the support of it have been stagnant in recent years due to the Covid-19. However, Telehealth-system will be more helpful in the Covid-19 situation. I think that Korea should encourage telehealth-system actively with other countries’ trend.

 First, the quality of life will be improved by providing appropriate levels of medical services to areas and patients with difficult access if telehealth-system is allowed. Large cities and regional strongholds, including Seoul, have good access to medical services, but low-income people outside the service area and who are live in mountainous and coastal areas are vulnerable to medical services. In particular, emergency medical services for the vulnerable population in rural areas are very low compared to cities. Therefore, telehealth-system will be of great help in addressing regional deviations from healthcare services. Norway, for example, is a country with a small population density, long land. So, there are difficulties in utilizing medical facilities because of roads covered with snow and poor transportation in winter, and Norway improved its quality of life through telehealth-system. In addition, medical expenses for the elderly are continuously increasing due to the aging society, and the number of lonely deaths of the elderly is increasing. As one of the serious aging societies in Korea, telehealth-system is needed to solve the blind spots of medical care. For example, in the U.S., smart telehealth-system is provided to patients who cannot leave their homes. Advanced countries, which have entered an aging society, are building telehealth-system, and Korea must build telehealth-system as one of the serious aging societies, too.

 Secondly, the Korean medical industry will grow and create jobs through the development of telemedicine-system, if it is activated. By making video calls, patients can consult with medical staff, so they can further improve their experience and overall health, and reduce medical costs. Hospital will provide telehealth-system to patients with chronic diseases who are no longer clinically effective so that they can relax in their home and doctors and nurses will be able to manage them more easily and efficiently. Telehealth can take care of more patients in a small number of experts, reduce the cost of incidental medical facilities, and reduce the cost of transporting patients to hospitals. Opponents of telehealth-system can say that telehealth-system costs more than face to face medical treatment, but the cost of it is just temporary. In addition, the development of telehealth services will have a positive effect on the development of the Internet industry, which will help create jobs related to this. In fact, Hyundai Economic Research Institute predicted that a new market would emerge if the utilizing rate of telehealth expanded to 20 percent of the population in 2018. Also, the Korea Employers Federation estimates that up to 370,000 new jobs will be created if medical regulations such as telemedicine allowances are relaxed.

 Third, telehealth-system is highly useful in treating infectious diseases such as Covid-19.

Korea is currently in a difficult situation due to the shortage of beds because of covid-19 pandemic. But, in Western Europe, the number of beds has been reduced by changing from hospital-centered to telemedicine. Therefore, it will also help us cope with virus situation. In addition, telehealth-system is non-face to face, so medical professionals such as doctors and nurses can treat patients without risks of infection. Currently, doctors or nurses are wearing protective clothing all day long in hot summer and cold winter in covid-19 pandemic, but if telehealth-system is developed and activated, doctors and nurses will be able to reduce their hardships. And we are now concerned about the emergence of a worse virus due to global warming, but we cannot guarantee the safety of medical professionals. Therefore, telehealth service can be used as a way to ensure safety in infectious diseases.

 To sum up, I agree with telehealth-system in treating patients who can’t access to medical services, bringing the economic effect, and rescuing people in the pandemic system. Korea must develop telehealth-system as the one of the technology developed countries. If telehealth-system is developed, patients and doctors can be mutual interests relationships.