Telemedicine

This subject that I will give a summary about it may be unfamiliar to you called Telemedicine. Simply the definition is the practice and activity of medicine when the doctor and patient are widely separated through the use of telecommunication technologies like computer For example when there is a distance between a rural hospital with a patient and city hospital with more and better equipments to make diagnostics, so the health personnel who works in rural hospital can share everything to other information about the patient and the doctor who is in distance can even talk to the patient and make decision. Even surgeries can take place through this kind of technology.

But there is a risk here that who has the right to access to those patient information and who is responsible to ensure the patient the information will be kept safe. Any disclosure of the patient information is a risk related to telemedicine and this can result to defamation claims by patient.

Besides, I believe there are also some advantages to telemedicine in addition to its obvious risks. For example the number of doctors or personnel in rural areas is not enough so the existence of this technology extend the access and reach of the doctors. And also I think it may lead health personnel remain in rural areas because it provides the field to online and ongoing retaining and collaboration with other health professionals.

In Malaysia this act is cited under the ACT 1997.

source:cybertelemedicine.blogspot.com