摘要:

&NA;As the name suggests, telemedicine is an amalgam of telecommunications, computer technology and medical practice. The development and implementation of telemedicine has progressed much slower, with unforeseen growing pains, than was anticipated 10 or 15 years ago, when the clinical/technical pioneers first began experimenting with telemedicine. The medical device industry has always been conservative with respect to implementation of new and unproven technology. The consequence of a failed heart‐lung machine during by‐pass surgery is much more dramatic and dynamic than purchasing a compact disc player that constantly jams. How does one evaluate personal health or estimate the emotional and financial burden of pain and suffering? Telemedicine was the panacea that would allow a poor child in rural America access to the expertise of the best physicians the world had to offer, at a reasonable price. Fortunately, we've not yet come to the final chapter in the development of telemedicine. Recent initiatives at university center hospitals and innovative technical applications have revived the telemedicine model. The introduction of asynchronous transfer mode capabilities to larger portions of the subscriber network and Internet Web‐browser transmission techniques have lowered costs for medical live video procedures and diagnostic store‐and‐forward images. The convenience of telemedicine to both patients and physicians is slowly being realized. A new frenzy of telemedicine activity has mounted with a focus on providing home diagnostic monitoring. Technology has come to the rescue with an array of choices to expand telemedicine, including digital subscriber lines, cable modems, wireless applications and Internet modalities. There are remaining questions concerning reimbursement for telemedicine services and licensure/liability of physicians when interstate consultation is required. The potential and convenience of telemedicine are a vigorous impetus for legislative changes regarding reimbursement and interstate licensure. California and Texas are bellwether states in application of telemedicine. Both states have federal prison telemedicine programs and each state's public healthcare system now provides payment for telemedicine consults. Public awareness and the development of wired communities will further fuel the development and application of telemedicine. Some of the new medical technology with telemedicine applications appears like a scene from a Star Trek movie. The merging of telecommunications technology and information systems into what is known as the enterprise system will enable communities to realize telemedicine as an essential link in the system.

ISSN:0363-8855    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

&NA;For years, the topic of telemedicine has been front‐line material when discussing the possible solutions to the problems faced by the U.S. health‐care system. This paper will present first a general introduction to the subject of telemedicine. Being such a broad subject, considerable material had to be covered to create a formal template for later arguments. The health care system is then dissected into stages: from the acquisition of the illness to the final outcome. Telemedicine will have different impacts on the whole system and on each stage. Technology is the main facet that characterizes telemedicine. An exhaustive report on the different technologies that are currently applied in such a system is mandatory for a systemic approach to the concept. Every complete discussion on telemedicine should include, if not all, some of its applications. The impact of telemedicine in each one of them will create an overall enhancement of the quality, accessibility and cost effectiveness of health‐care.

ISSN:0363-8855    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0363-8855    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0363-8855    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0363-8855    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0363-8855    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2001

数据来源: OVID