TELEMEDICINE IN RURAL AREAS

Telemedicine in Rural Areas

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the problems of the telemedicine and its usage in rural areas. However, the paper also identifies the importance of telemedicine and its usage in the field of science. Telemedicine in rural areas

Introduction

Technological change has occurred simultaneously with major health changes. For several years the medical model of developed countries are in constant review in an attempt to meet the requirements to meet increased demand for health services with better quality, making it compatible with resource constraints. This change was driven by principles such as putting the patient at the centre of all activities; improve continuity of care and equity in access. Among the criteria that guide the actions are mainly the continuity of care, integrated management processes and the search for operational efficiency to facilitate the absence of errors.

Telemedicine is also widely used for those in correctional facilities. Technological changes influence and overlap with organizational change and design of health services. It is clear that technological resources that exhibit hospitals today are very different from just a decade and certainly to those within a few years. In recent years, there have been many examples of institutions that have emphasized its technological character identity such as "paperless hospital", "digital hospital," hospital without walls "or" hospital interconnected. Although telemedicine is extremely helpful in accessing rural populations and increasing access to health care services, several challenges persist.

Literature Review

Certainly, the history of telemedicine has been linked to the development of telecommunications, and in this way, the telegraph, telephone, radio, television and satellite links have been used for medical purposes since the first moment of its introduction. Until recently, the telemedicine service establishments had an exploratory nature guided by the technological possibilities and nature of pilots or R & D projects under the initiative being usually largely based on individual bilateral connections between a few entities. Today we are seeing a move towards the implementation of systems for routine use, guided by the satisfaction of health needs in institutional initiative, which take centre stage to improve access and continuity of care with efficiency targets cost-benefit for users general. Right now, we are on the threshold of a radical change in the organization and provision of health services led by a new generation of telecommunications infrastructure and network connectivity. (Xiao, 2008)

The first signs of the concept of telemedicine in the United States occurred from April 19 924 where the cover of a magazine captured a picture that depicted a doctor referring to him as "Doctor Radio ", attending to a patient remotely through a television screen and speaker type horn. However, this concept was implemented only to the 50's where Dr. Albert Jutras started to avoid high doses of radiation he received while practicing fluoroscopy, remained separate from the room where the scan was performed using a plumb wall, and forwarded the instructions to the patient through a conventional intercom. Also began the first Tele-education courses and telepsychiatry between the ...