Through telemedicine, doctors in rural areas linked in, participating in the same conference as the group of doctors in Charlotte. This was accomplished using room-videoconferencing units, installed in several rural community hospitals. Another grant came through the Department of Defense, using desktop computers for remote patient and physician consultations. This telemedicine application provides the ability to transfer data and images that include radiological images, such as x-rays, ultrasounds and other images, such as cardiograms. The images are sent from the referring physician via computer and specialized telecommunications lines and received and displayed on the consulting physician s computer monitor.
Physicians can discuss the images, and treatment decisions can be made.
Patients can also be examined using this technology. The patient can be at a remote site with their practioner and link to a specialist, typically in Charlotte. Using a small camera mounted on the computer monitor, the specialist can see the patient and, with the assistance of the remote practioner, examine the patient. Also, the patient and family are not burdened with travel and lost time at work. The patient receives healthcare close to home.