A Cost Benefit of Telemedicine: An Assessment of Aero-Medical Evacuation Patients Throughout the Pacific Basin.
Abstract
Telemedicine is not a gimmick. It is slowly becoming a viable tool in the delivery of modern day healthcare. Healthcare executives, providers, and politicians must start working together to enhance the progression of Telemedicine within the DoD/Military Healthcare System. The uses of telecommunication technology in the delivery of medical care and information are endless. We live in a 'High Tech' world that is growing by leaps and bounds leaving a system grasping for rules and guidelines to show us the way. The literature speaks of telemedicine as a rebirth of the modern day 'house call', but lacks a framework of Structure, Process, and Outcome. This research focused on the cost avoidance issue of 'who saves' and 'how much can be saved.' By gathering data through the Composite Healthcare System (CHCS) it was possible to group patients via their originating MTF site. Using the Delphi Technique a panel of experts reviewed the data and determined that 36% or 780 patients out of 2,156 medevacs could have been treated via the telemedicine system. This represents an annual saving to DoD of approximately $4 million dollars.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA313806
Entities
People
- Dan Cornwell
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences