Telemedicine in Cancer Care

Telemedicine uses telecommunications technology as a tool to deliver health care to populations with limited access to care.1 Initially developed to assist in the care of astronauts in space, telemedicine technology was soon being adapted and studied to increase access to care for populations on Earth.2 Since the demonstration projects in the 1970s, access to telemedicine technology has expanded with greater portability, improved usability, lower costs, and higher quality. From the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s singular STARPAHC Project to the myriad of small, large, freestanding, academic, commercial, direct-to-consumer telemedicine services available in the United States today, telemedicine has been tested in multiple clinical settings. Most studies demonstrate at least equivalency to in-person care and high levels of patient and health professional satisfaction.3,4 Some studies demonstrate improved outcomes compared with in-person care.5 These factors have fueled ongoing interest in improving health care delivery by integrating teleconsultations with traditional in-person clinical care. TELEMEDICINE Section: ChooseTop of pageAbstractTELEMEDICINE <