Telemedicine: Federal Strategy is Needed to Guide Investments.
Abstract
During a deployment in the Western Pacific region, a sailor aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln became seriously injured and was seen and treated by a specialist in San Diego-6,000 miles away. Doctor and patient were linked by telemedicine, which, in its broadest sense, refers to the use of communications technology to help deliver medical care without regard to the distance that separates the participants. In addition to the Department of Defense (DOD), other federal agencies, state governments, and private organizations support telemedicine initiatives. Congress has raised questions about the federal government's role in advancing telemedicine. In this regard, the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Research and Development, House Committee on National Security, asked GAO to help determine the steps that DOD and the federal government need to take to realize the full potential of telemedicine and achieve cooperation with the private sector. Specifically, this report addresses the (1) scope of public and private telemedicine investments; (2) telemedicine strategies among DOD, other federal agencies, and the private sector; (3) potential benefits that the public and private sectors may gain from telemedicine initiatives; and (4) barriers facing telemedicine implementation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA323976
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office