Telemedicine in 2010: robotic caveats

摘要

We read with interest Ruth Williams' report on the use of telemedicine and information technologies in neurology. We provide present and future thoughts and concerns about this new technology that might help underserved areas with no neurologists. First, we believe that in the immediate future, telemedicine has great potential to electronically bridge the gap between underserved areas and centres that have specialty neurologists, without having to increase the overall supply of neurologists. Teleneurology can provide instant neurologist input via secure internet-based video interaction, without specialists or patients having to travel long distances. Furthermore, the supply of neurologists is not expected to substantially increase to match the expected rise in age-related neurological disease in the ageing population.The effect of teleneurology might be greatest in acute stroke-a medical emergency-especially in view of the cost-effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy, which can now be given up to 4-5 h after onset of stroke.