In this theme issue of the Virtual Mentor, we explore how advances in telemedicine, the Internet, and other emerging communication and computing technologies are challenging the fundamental conception of what constitutes a patient-physician relationship. To some, emerging technologies such as e-mail and the Internet provide patients with greater access to their physicians and empower them with readily retrievable health information. Thus, like the technologies of the past such as the telegraph, telephone, and television, new and emerging technologies in virtual medicine offer significant benefits, but also potential harms. We hope that this theme issue will shed some light on a technological evolution that will have revolutionary effects on how we learn and practice medicine. As a little known philosopher once said, the path to enlightenment is, we hope, lined with lots of lamps - let there be light.
Physicists slow speed of light.
Harvard University Gazette . Copyright 1995-2001 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.