Telemedicine is a method of exchanging medical information through an electronic medium to help improve patient health, and is part of the broader category of Telehealth, which uses new telecommunication technology to transmit health-related information. Telemedicine will typically involve the transmission of images, videoconferencing, remote monitoring of health and vital signs, nursing call centers, e-health portals, and medical education. Telemedicine is often a vital aspect of providing healthcare to rural and underserved areas.

Some of the mechanisms of telemedicine include:

- Networked programs which link hospitals and clinics with other healthcare centers through the use of high speed internet connections.

- Home connections that connect doctors, nurses, or other caregivers directly to patients so that they can provide healthcare.

- Home care that uses phone lines or internet connections for pulmonary, fetal, and cardiac monitoring.

- Web based e-health sites that connect patients directly to health information or health care.

About the author: An expert in the field of telemedicine, Dr. Peter Killcommons works to expand the reach of healthcare to areas in need. He has helped set up telemedicine systems in Afghanistan and Armenia. 

Peter Killcommons has served as the chief executive officer of Medweb for more than two decades. In this role, Peter Killcommons oversees the company’s operations, with a particular focus on its radiology, disaster response, and telemedicine divisions. In 2011, Pete Killcommons was invited to be a keynote speaker on telemedicine integration challenges in eastern Afghanistan at the First Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth.

The First Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on October 14, 2011. Supported by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia and International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth, the three-day event’s theme was ARMTELEMED: Road to the Future. The program featured keynote speakers and faculty from around the world, who discussed topics such as the future of eHealth and international initiatives, global telemedicine and eHealth, eHealth economics, and the legislative and logistics behind telemedicine systems.

The 287 attendees included representatives from the United States, Germany, Ukraine, and Moldova. In total, 20 countries were represented at the Congress. More than a quarter of the participants were students, who will play a vital role in the future development of telemedicine and eHealth.

To learn more about the event, visit www.congress.armtelemed.org.