Telemedicine

There are a number of external and internal developments and pressures that make telemedicine appealing to those in the health care industry. The advent of new technologies for medicine and communication and rising health care costs and proliferation of underserved communities are just some of these external and internal developments and pressures. Medicine and health care delivery have been impacted by the advent of telemedicine in three ways: benefits to specific populations, greater access to healthcare, improved health care quality (Ashley, 2002, 267). For instance, telemedicine removes barriers to health care such as distance, the necessity of multiple physician and specialist visitations, and greater efficiency in health care delivery for physicians and health care personnel. Despite the advent and promise of such technologies, significant barriers remain until telemedicine becomes a commonplace delivery method for health care. For example, numerous licensure and malpractice questions must be addressed, despite the fact that many health care providers now offer telemedicine to consumers. This analysis will now provide some examples of telemedicine currently being implemented by health care providers, in addition to looking at some of the most pressing barriers to its widespread adoption by the health care community. A conclusion will address the potential future impact of telemedicine on the physician-patient relati

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taken if there is cause for concern�it is hoped the system will help people avoid long hospital stays" (Patient, 2002, 06). One can see the costs savings that will accrue from reduces hospital stays and a focus on prevention and early detection as opposed to curative or surgical procedures. Further, one can imagine the ease of burden on many elderly who should have such measurements regularly monitored but who may have trouble getting around especially in bad weather or if living in remote locations. A third example demonstrates the tremendous impact telemedicine can have on improving the quality of care while at the same time being a more cost-effective method of health care delivery than conventional ones. A young girl was referred to a U.S. Army hospital for obesity management. In the past, a dietician would have been flown to the little atoll where the girl resides. This would need to occur twice a year for periods of 2-3 days, resulting in significant costs. However, as one army official familiar with the recent use of telemedicine in such cases notes, "This consultation is done for a fraction of the cost with a huge savings of time through telemedicine technologies" (Ashley, 2002, 268). This is only one small exam

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