​Peter “Pete” Killcommons serves as the chief executive officer of Medweb, where he manages the delivery of medical imaging and teleradiology services to clients. In 2011, Peter Killcommons gave a keynote presentation at the First Armenian International Telemedicine Congress in Yerevan, Armenia, where he discussed some of the benefits of a telemedicine system.

One of the most important benefits of telemedicine involves improved access for patients in remote locations. For more than four decades, healthcare systems have used telemedicine to address provider shortages in both rural and urban areas. Furthermore, research has demonstrated that telemedicine can actually improve patient outcomes in certain specialties, including psychiatry and intensive care.

In economic terms, telemedicine has shown a remarkable ability to reduce the cost of quality healthcare services, primarily through shared health professional staffing, shorter hospital stays, reduced travel times, and better management of chronic diseases. Perhaps most importantly, patients have reported high levels of satisfaction with telemedicine. Not only can patients receive instant care from specialists, but they also enjoy access to services that might not be available otherwise.

The first ever Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth (ARMTELEMED), in 2011, involved 287 participants, including invited keynote speakers like Peter M. Killcommons, MD. ARMTELEMED took place in Yerevan, Armenia, over three days and was co-hosted by such organizations as the Union of Information Technology Enterprises and the Armenian Association of Telemedicine. On the second day of the Congress, Peter Killcommons delivered an address about his experience in deploying telemedicine technology in Eastern Afghanistan.

In all, the event involved representatives from the United States, Russia, Moldova, Georgia, Germany, and many other nations. Of those who participated, over 50 percent were either clinical practitioners or students. The remainder hailed from sectors like academia and the information technology and health care administration industries.

In addition to its international impact, ARMTELMED permitted local Armenians who worked in the telemedicine field to present their research to a diverse audience and to receive feedback from top professionals. The event also provided a forum where like-minded people could come together and begin partnerships that may yield joint projects and other kinds of positive collaboration.

As chief executive officer of Medweb, a medical imaging and telemedicine group based in San Francisco, Peter (Pete) Killcommons has played a key role in the company's outreach and medical communications efforts. Peter Killcommons has represented MedWeb at industry events like the First Armenian International Conference on Telemedicine and eHealth.

In 2011, the Armenian Association of Telemedicine sponsored the First Armenian International Conference on Telemedicine and eHealth in the capital city of Yerevan. The event brought together 287 participants, including 53 professionals from beyond the borders of Armenia. The conference began with a welcoming speech from key figures in the field of telemedicine in Armenia.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Sergey Khachatryan greeted participants, as did the chair of the Parliamentary Commission on Health Care. A number of legislators were also in attendance to hear and comment on presentations that touched on many eHealth issues, including clinical practice and administrative concerns. Since that time, the Armenian Association of Telemedicine has gone on to present relevant issues to the industry at other events. Most recently, on June 21, 2014, the organization hosted ICT and Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Healthcare at the Digitec Business Forum, which also took place in Yerevan. 

A trained physician and innovative medical entrepreneur, Peter “Pete” Killcommons leads as the chief executive officer of Medweb, a medical imaging, teleradiology, and telemedicine firm he founded more than two decades ago. Over the course of his career, Peter Killcommons has served as an invited expert speaker at several events, including the First Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth, which was cohosted in 2011 through a partnership of organizations that included the American Telemedicine Association.

The American Telemedicine Association is currently preparing for its 21st Annual Telemedicine Meeting and Trade Show, which will take place May 14-17, 2016, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. As the premier event for health care professionals and business leaders in the telemedicine space, the four-day event provides a forum for networking and learning on a variety of topics focused on the new direction of health care.

In addition to offering a range of networking and educational activities, the meeting features a trade show that gives attendees, including researchers, clinicians, and hospital administrators, the opportunity to explore the latest medical products that can assist their practices and enhance their services. Registration will soon open for the event, and a complete list of meeting activities will be made available on ATA’s website, www.americantelemed.org. 

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. 

An acknowledged leader in telemedicine, Dr. Peter “Pete” Killcommons is founder and CEO of Medweb. Under Dr. Peter Killcommons' direction, the company provides distance care solutions for physicians in numerous specialties, including stroke care.

Telestroke, a Medweb product, helps patients in remote locations gain access to expert stroke care. The system allows practitioners in community and remote hospitals to communicate with specially trained personnel. A user-friendly interface connects with existing videoconferencing technology to allow practitioners to record and share radiologic imaging, stroke scale results, and other relevant data.

More than a simple information delivery system, Telestroke offers templates that prompt practitioners as to what information is necessary to develop a complete diagnoses. In addition, the system supports the creation of comprehensive care plans that include advanced therapies and treatment for diagnoses unrelated to stroke. All information transmits securely and efficiently thanks to a built-in digital imaging and communications (DICOM) engine that communicates between medical centers' picture archival and communications systems (PACS).

Peter Killcommons is a longtime health care industry executive who has led San Francisco-based Medweb since 1992. Peter “Pete” Killcommons' firm facilitates global solutions in the areas of telemedicine, radiology, and disaster response. 

There are two basic types of telemedicine – asynchronous and synchronous. The latter service enables real-time consultation between the patient and the medical provider, and a remotely-located specialist with treatment-specific expertise. This system enables specialists to be accessed around the world, without the expense of physically transporting a patient to a specialized hospital or clinic. Positive outcomes are supported through the use of state-of-the-art video equipment and medical cameras, with data encrypted and securely transferred. Medweb emphasizes the use of advanced synchronous technologies in its Telestroke system, which supports the time-sensitive needs of patients at risk of stroke.

Also known as “store and forward” applications, asynchronous telemedicine features delayed communications. Video, images, and other data are transferred to another site before they are uploaded, viewed, and responded to. Asynchronous applications have the benefit of being cost effective and simple to maintain and use. 

Dr. Peter “Pete” Killcommons, founder and CEO of Medweb, has contributed to the field of telemedicine for more than 20 years. Dr. Peter Killcommons served as a keynote presenter at the First Armenian International Telemedicine Conference in 2011 and since that time has continued to share Medweb's resources with practitioners.

Over the course of 2014, the expansion of health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act has dovetailed with the prevalence of mobile medical technology to create an ideal atmosphere of growth for the telemedicine industry. According to a recent industry report, telemedicine is likely to expand at an 18.88 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2014 and 2019. Those tracking industry growth see product innovation as well as a rush to improve the quality and reach of communications.

Thus far, compliance and insurance reimbursement have provided the industry with its greatest challenges. Recently, however, major insurers have begun to offer coverage for off-site patient monitoring and telemedicine consults. Governments in states with widespread rural populations are also becoming aware of what telemedicine has to offer their constituents and are encouraging development efforts on an official level. With the private and public sectors joined, the industry stands ready to take its place as a mainstay of care.

A physician, medical imaging expert, and philanthropist, Dr. Peter Killcommons served as the keynote speaker at the First Armenian International Telemedicine Congress in Yerevan, Armenia, in October 2011. Held on the campus of Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University (RAU), the Congress included 287 participants, more than 50 of whom were international residents. The event was co-hosted by the Armenian Association of Telemedicine and the Union of Information Technology Enterprises, as well as global non-governmental organizations Armenian Telemedicine Association and the Society for Telemedicine and eHealth.

Dr. Pete Killcommons provided the Congress with details about his recent work with Nangahar University Hospital and Nangahar Public Hospital to bring a modern, computerized telemedicine system to eastern Afghanistan. The Congress also featured a variety of scientific sessions, lectures, panel discussions, and roundtable discussions on the subjects of telemedicine technologies, commerce, and education.

The primary goals of the Armenian International Telemedicine Congress are to allow Armenians interested in health information and communication technology (ICT) to communicate with an international audience; to provide a venue for local, regional, and international health ICT professionals to meet each other; and to facilitate opportunities for global ICT professionals to share their work with the general public.