World Health Organization and International Telecommunication Union Announce Global Standard for Accessibility of Telehealth Services
Global, ICT, Misc., News, June 15 2022
Background The World Health Organization (WHO) defines telehealth as the “delivery of health care services, where patients and providers are separated by distance. Telehealth uses information communication technology for the exchange of information for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health professionals”. Telehealth is a service that has been widely applied in many countries for decades now. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of telehealth services has increased substantially in many countries, becoming a basic need for the general population. As such, telehealth contributes to achieving universal health coverage in countries by improving access to quality and cost-effective health services for patients regardless of their setting. It is particularly valuable for those who live in remote areas and for marginalized populations.
While telehealth provides the means for an equitable health service provision, in reality many persons with disabilities experience difficulties and challenges accessing and using telehealth services. For example, very often telehealth platforms are not compatible with devices such as screen readers that facilitate people [...]