Generally, popular reference to telemedicine has come to mean services in which some video link is provided, such as transmission of x-rays or video images. Telemedicine's promise lies in its ability to provide a wide range of health and health education services without the need for the practitioner and patient to be in the same place. Thus the use of this technology may improve and enhance the medical care available to patients even in the most remote areas. Patients save time and money because telemedicine eliminates the need to travel to distant tertiary care facilities to get specialized care. Telemedicine may also expedite treatment rendered, as, for example rural patients may have diagnostic studies interpreted by a specialist in a matter of minutes instead of several days, when studies have to be mailed or messengered to be interpreted.
Physicians too are beneficiaries of telemedicine.
A fundamental benefit of telemedicine is access to educational programs and teleconferences offering continuing medical education credit plus on-line information resources such as literature searches. Physicians can readily consult with experts regarding certain patient conditions. Other medical applications can include teleconsultation, teleradiology, and telecardiology to name a few. The technology to sustain adequate telemedicine capabilities is dependent on sophisticated telecommunications networks. Many rural areas still have party lines and many more do not have fiberoptic technology telephone lines in place.