NASA was one of the first users of telemedicine because it was necessary to develop a way to monitor astronauts’ heart rates and other vital signs from space. More “down-to-earth” uses of telemedicine include physicians consulting colleagues by phone regarding the care of a patient. Higher end uses include the capability to perform surgery from a remote location through monitors and guided robotic arms.

Still other uses of telemedicine include emergency physicians directing the care of injured or ill crew members on ships far out at sea via radio, as well as radiologists interpreting MRIs, CT scans, x-rays, etc. of patients who are many miles away. Patients at home can have their pacemakers and other devices checked via telephone. Using telemedicine in prisons avoids the dangers involved in transferring inmates outside of their facilities.

Primary care physicians and psychiatrist are also able to consult with patients through telephone consults and videoconferencing. Basically, telemedicine allows treatment to transcend limitations of time and space.

As an added benefit to businesses, telemedicine tracks member plan card usage to document the savings to your health plan cost. By establishing a database comparing call outcomes and any resulting medical visits or further expense, the savings to the insured group can be established.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

There are several rules and regulations in place to make sure healthcare institutions are in compliance with all health, safety and privacy rules. These include but are not limited to regulations from the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission that determine how physician groups can negotiate with managed care companies and how they must handle the integration of clinical data with physician practices. The Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) also regulates the healthcare industry which is responsible for accrediting all hospitals.

Currently there are few telemedicine guidelines but no hard set of standards, rules or laws for the telemedicine industry. Consumers need to do their due diligence in order to gage the level of service they are receiving and should take the following questions into consideration:

• Does the telemedicine service require my past and current medical records?
• Does the doctor take the time to review my past medical history and current medical assessment thoroughly?
• Does the telemedicine service validate my identity?
• Does the doctor ask questions about my condition, thoroughly?
• Is the telemedicine service located in the United States?
• Does the telemedicine service have reliable customer service?
• Does the telemedicine service have a professional appearance and service?
• Does the doctor provide referral services to local medical services (ER, local doctors, specialists) if needed?
• Does the telemedicine service provide various all in one home services( mail order pharmacy, physical exams, lab tests, etc.)?
• Does the telemedicine service utilize strong security features in technology to encrypt information and provide the patient security and privacy and adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA). http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/