Telemedicine
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Contents |
Basic Definition
Telemedicine is a technology that provides, exchanges, and shares medical and health information to different people and groups electronically. The different components of telemedicine include information on patients' heath conditions and status, medications being used by patients, x-ray and still life transfers, monitoring of vital signs, and continuation of medical education. Telemedicine is sometimes referred to as "telehealth" when referring to these same services and information transfers.
Telemedicine is put into practice by different delivery mechanisms. These mechanisms include: networked programs, point to point connections, primary/specialty care to home connections, home to monitoring center, and web based e-health patient service sites. Networked programs link care centers in rural or suburban areas. Point to point connections are used by hospitals and clinics to exchange information and contact ambulatory services. Primary and specialty care to home connecctions help specialty health care providers and home nurses contact and interact with patients. Home to monitoring center connections provide services to patients at home. These services include cardiac, pulmonary or fetal monitoring. The last connection, the web based e-health patient service site is a typer of consumer outreach that provides services over the internet.
http://www.atmeda.org/news/definition.html
Technical Aspects
Telemedicine can be both very simple and very complex. At its simplest, it is two health care professionals talking over the telephone. It can be as complex as using video conferencing and satellites to connect doctors in different countries. A key aspect of telemedicine is that it is not solely based in technology, it is based on the people it serves: it is about how we use technology to better fit the healthcare needs of the people. Today, telemedicine can be found in services provided to everyone from the elderly to the prematurely born. It is used in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals, assisted living facilities, and health departments; almost anywhere that health services are provided.
Telemedicine is based off of two main concepts: real time and store-and-forward. Real time requires both parties to be present at the same time and then connects them through a link that provides real-time interaction. One of the most common forms of real time telemedicine comes from video conferencing attached to devices such as a tele-stethoscope. Store-and-forward telemedicine means that the doctor acquires data and signals and then sends it to another doctor or specialist for offline assessment. It does not require both parties to be present.
The History of Telemedicine
Telemedicine as we know it has exploded in use over the past 5 years, but it has been utilized for over 40 years. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began efforts to develop telemedicine in the early 1960s when humans first began to fly in space. The astronaut's physiological conditions were "telemetered" from their space suits and space craft. Since NASA had an interest in the area, they were able to develop and enhance the satelite system used in telemedicine and also provide new technology and funding for research. Another major influence on the development of telemedicine was the introduction of television. This allowed for the development of video telecommunications.
The first complete telemedicine system linking paraprofessionals and a physician-patient encounter setting was in 1967. The system linked Boston's Logan Airport to Massachusets General Hospital. This demonstrated the possibility of utilizing telemedicine for diagnosis in remote areas. After this system was developed, the United States federal government began funding implement research and development projects. They implemented the systems in mostly rural areas where medical staffing is an issue. These systems established telemedicine as a sufficient substitute for traveling for medical care.
Market Conditions
There are many different organizations invloved in the market of telemedicine. However, these firms are each part of a different specific markets as well. These include firms involved in medical equipment and device development, software development, and video-conferencing technology, as well as the healthcare delivery systems, physichian practices, and specialty hospitals that utilize telemedicine in their practices. Kodak, a firm which focuses on radiology, and VTEL which is concerned with video-conferencing products, are just two examples. Because telemedicine is not a separate medical specialty and services are usually part of a larger investment by health care institutions, competition is limited. The customer base is widespread due to the many types of services that telemedicine offers. These customers are widespread patients, doctors, medical professionals, and the medical centers that employ this technology. Specialist referrals are used for patients to be able to see a specialist through a live remote consult, or have medical images/video and other data transferred to a specialist. Other customers who would otherwise employ visiting nurses can invest in remote patient monitoring or "home telehealth" which is an easier substitute. Medical students and even medical professionals can untilize telemedicine for medical education, and other consumers are able to access medical and health information via the internet from their own homes.
The future of the Telemedicine market looks very bright. As more and more companies begin to get involved, and as technology continues to evolve and funding increases, we will most likely see more and more firms entering this market. Trestle Corporation estimates that within the next few years the market will grow to around 1.5 billion in purchases of telemedicine products and services.
References
Team Members
- Masterson, Elizabeth A.
- Shagoury, Katharine S.
- Langevin, Sharon A.
- Eichler, Jillian E.
