The ability to capture information at the point of care and quickly assimilate it and distribute it is a major advance in the quality and quantity of care.
Doctors can now access text, graphics, charts, and images quickly to more rapidly treat patients.
Telemedicine allows hospitals to provide extended care to broader segments of the patient population. The distribution delivery system afforded by telemedicine allows hospitals to expand service areas to more broadly provide care and expand market share. There are concerns that need to be addressed. One major issue is whether the information delivered to the point of care is sufficient for the primary care provider to perform an accurate diagnosis. Each institution needs to evaluate this issue and develop objective and scientific practices to ensure that quality standards are maintained consistently.