Telemedicine: a new health care delivery system

• Published in: Annual review of public health Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 613 - 637
• Main Authors: Bashshur, R L, Reardon, T G, Shannon, G W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Annual Reviews, Inc 01.01.2000
• Subjects: Cost Control; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Diffusion of Innovation; Health care; Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration; Health Services Research; Humans; Quality of Health Care; Research methods; Technology Assessment, Biomedical - organization & administration; Telemedicine - organization & administration
• ISSN: 0163-7525; 1545-2093
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.21.1.613

The resurgence of telemedicine can be attributed to its potential for addressing intransigent problems in health care, including limited accessibility, cost inflation, and uneven quality. After discussing definitions and the genesis of telemedicine, this review focuses on conceptual issues and an assessment of past research. The scope and methodological rigor necessary for sustained development and policy making have been limited in this area of research, owing to the nature of extant telemedicine projects and the lack of a comprehensive research strategy that specifies the objectives of telemedicine research regarding accessibility, cost, and quality. Research strategies and a framework for analysis are discussed. Without a commitment to the types of research objectives, framework, and strategy presented here, the considerable promise of telemedicine, as an innovative system of care, may not be fully realized.