According to a recent report to Congress by the US Departments of
Commerce and Health and Human Services:
"Telemedicine has the potential to make a difference in
the lives of any Americans. In remote rural areas, where
a patient and the closest health professional can be
hundreds of miles apart, telemedicine can mean access to
health care where little had been available before. In
emergency cases, this access can mean the difference
between life and death. In particular, in those cases
where fast medical response time and specialty care are
needed, telemedicine availability can be critical. For
example, a specialist at a North Carolina University
Hospital was able to diagnose a rural patient's hairline
spinal fracture at a distance, using telemedicine video
imaging. The patient's life was saved because treatment
wad done on-site without physically transporting the
patient to the specialist who was located a great distance
away."
Telemedicine also has the potential to improve the
delivery of health care in America by bringing a wider
range of services such as radiology, mental health
services and dermatology to underserved communities
and individuals in both urban and rural areas. In addition,
telemedicine can help attract and retain health
professionals in rural areas by providing ongoing training
and collaboration with other health professional.
From: Telemedicine Report to Congress, January 31, 1997
| Go to the Agenda | Go to Dr. Sauter's home page |
Page Owner: Professor Sauter (Vicki.Sauter@umsl.edu)
© Vicki L. Sauter. All rights Reserved.
