TTA Archives 2005-2012

A insightful article by Pauline Chen, M.D. in The New York Times explores the willingness (or more accurately, the lack) of physicians and nurses to adopt telemedicine–video conferencing and data transfer–for consults and even to perform procedures.  She expands upon the recently published JAMA article (Telemedicine in the ICU: glass half full or empty?) authored by researchers at the University of Texas Medical School (Houston).  The discussion here is about the premises of the study.  The clinicians were given 24/7 remote monitoring as a supplement to patient care in the ICU; they were given minimum/maximum choices of monitoring involvement and most chose the minimum.  The ‘why’ is explored here in the main article, as well as in the linked discussion in the ‘Well’ blog.  The comments from average people and physicians is ‘real world’ with a fair amount of debate on the doctor-patient bond.  The VA may be the pioneer here with telemedicine for outpatient psychiatry (the ‘forgotten specialty’ of eHealth).  If after reading this, there still is the perception that telemedicine will easily integrate into hospital care, this editor has a bridge to Health 2.0 for your immediate purchase.