| The term telemedicine is derived from the combination | | | | patient care as the patient, primary care physician, |
| of a Greek word "Tele," meaning "distance" and a | | | | specialist and family members may be actively |
| Latin word "mederi" meaning "to heal". Distance is a | | | | involved during a consultation. |
| constraint for people living in remote areas to access | | | | Challenges of Telemedicine |
| timely, good-quality health care. Telemedicine attempts | | | | Physicians may not be aware of the benefits or utility |
| to overcome this constraint by bridging this gap | | | | of telemedicine and may be resistant to use such |
| between the patient and healthcare provider. The | | | | e-medicine technologies. Building trust in patients about |
| World Health Organization defines Telemedicine as, | | | | the outcome of these newer technologies is another |
| "The delivery of healthcare services, where distance is | | | | challenge. Language may be a barrier in some |
| a critical factor, by all healthcare professionals using | | | | countries. For example only 65.38% of India's population |
| information and communication technologies for the | | | | is literate with only 2% being well-versed in English. |
| exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment | | | | From the hospital perspective, implementation of |
| and prevention of disease and injuries, research and | | | | telemedicine involves investment of high capital |
| evaluation, and for the continuing education of | | | | associated with the technology and communication |
| healthcare providers, all in the interests of advancing | | | | and so this may become financially unfeasible. |
| the health of individuals and their communities". For | | | | Telemedicine is supported by various types of |
| example a patient or a health care provider, or | | | | software and hardware is still immature and needs to |
| caregiver may use a wireless phone to automatically | | | | evolve. |
| upload vital signs and send it to a remote monitoring | | | | Conclusion |
| center. Telemedicine was one of the initial technologies | | | | Telemedicine is the answer to the question of solving |
| which improved the spread of healthcare services | | | | the problem of inaccessibility to the healthcare facilities. |
| wherein areas that were considered inaccessible | | | | With proper implementation it can serve multiple |
| initially were also able to access healthcare facilities. | | | | purposes along with the basic or specialized healthcare |
| Benefits of Telemedicine | | | | services. Recent advances in the field of information |
| Telemedicine improves accessibility to health care | | | | technology has improved the quality of the |
| facilities for the patient living in remote areas and | | | | telemedicine services and also reduced the related |
| allows physicians to reach out to patients and expand | | | | costs to a great extent. However, concerns about |
| their services beyond their own clinic. Telemedicine | | | | safety of patient data, or becoming completely |
| reduces travelling time for both patient and the health | | | | dependent on such services are being raised in relation |
| care provider. It also decreases the number of hospital | | | | to telemedicine. Nevertheless, judicious use of this |
| stays, allows for shared health professional staffing | | | | health technology can save a lot more lives than |
| that translates into reduced health care cost. Along | | | | before and reduce the healthcare costs to a great |
| with the reduction in travel time it also reduces the | | | | extent. |
| stress related to traveling. It improves continuity of | | | | |