Telemedicine


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Telemedicine is a rapidly developing application of clinical medicine, where medical information is transferred through
interactive audiovisual media for the purpose of consulting. Telemedicine can also be used to conduct examinations and
remote medical procedures.[citation needed]
Telemedicine may be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as complex as
using satellite technology and videoconferencing equipment to conduct a real-time consultation between medical
specialists in two different countries. Telemedicine generally refers to the use of telecommunication and information
technologies for the delivery of clinical care.



Early precursors

Care at a distance (also called in absentia care) is an old practice which was often conducted via post. There has been
a long and successful history of in absentia health care which, thanks to modern communication technology, has
evolved into what we know as modern telemedicine.[citation needed]
In its early manifestations, African villagers used smoke signals to warn people to stay away from the village in case of
serious disease. In the early 1900s, people living in remote areas of Australia used two-way radios, powered by a
dynamo driven by a set of bicycle pedals, to communicate with the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.

Types of telemedicine

Telemedicine can be broken into three main categories: store-and-forward, remote monitoring and interactive
services.
Store-and-forward telemedicine involves acquiring medical data (like medical images, biosignals etc.) and then
transmitting this data to a doctor or medical specialist at a convenient time for assessment offline. It does not require the
presence of both parties at the same time. Dermatology (cf: teledermatology), radiology, and pathology are common
specialties that are conducive to asynchronous telemedicine. A properly structured medical record preferably in
electronic form should be a component of this transfer. A key difference between traditional in-person patient meetings
and telemedicine encounters is the omission of an actual physical examination and history.


Benefits and uses

Telemedicine can be extremely beneficial for people living in isolated communities and remote regions and is currently
being applied in virtually all medical domains. Patients who live in such areas can be seen by a doctor or specialist, who
can provide an accurate and complete examination, while the patient may not have to travel or wait the normal
distances or times like those from conventional hospital or GP visits. Recent developments in mobile collaboration
technology with the use of hand-held mobile devices allow healthcare professionals in multiple locations the ability to
view, discuss and assess patient issues as if they were in the same room



Telecardiology
ECGs, or electrocardiographs, can be transmitted using telephone and wireless. Willem Einthoven, the inventor of the
ECG, actually did tests with transmission of ECG via telephone lines. This was because the hospital did not allow him
to move patients outside the hospital to his laboratory for testing of his new device. In 1906 Einthoven came up with a
way to transmit the data from the hospital directly to his lab.