Final answer:
Telemedicine (A) is the option that opens healthcare access to many patients in rural areas where access is limited. It uses technology to provide remote care, overcoming distance barriers and supporting healthcare delivery in underserved regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is A) Telemedicine. Telemedicine enables the use of telecommunication and information technologies to provide clinical health care from a distance. It has been very beneficial in opening healthcare access to many patients, especially those residing in rural areas where traditional medical facilities are scarce or non-existent.
One of the challenges of the U.S. healthcare system is to provide basic medical care to all, including those who are poor or live in rural areas. Telemedicine serves as an efficient solution to this problem by allowing health care providers to deliver services remotely, which also helps manage and reduce the high costs of healthcare.
Telemedicine facilitates a range of services such as patient consultation via video conferencing, transmitting still images, e-health including patient portals, remote monitoring of vital signs, continuing medical education, and more. In summary, telemedicine plays a vital role in increasing access to care, reducing healthcare costs, and providing timely medical treatment to populations that might otherwise receive limited or no medical attention.