THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNIONS REPORT ON TELEMEDICINE ANDDEVELOPING-COUNTRIES

This paper reviews some df the main conclusions and recommendations fr om the Report on Telemedicine and Developing Countries, which was prep ared for the international Telecommunication Union, (ITU). The report is the result of three years' effort by a group of experts in telecomm unications and telemedicine from around the world. It provides an exte nsive survey of the telemedicine experience of various countries. It d iscusses the different types and applications of telemedicine, the tec hnologies used, costs and benefits, trends, prospects for global stand ards, and provides guidelines and recommendations to developing countr ies for implementation of telemedicine services. The ITU study group w hich prepared the report is expected to begin some new tasks in 1998, including the identification of a set of pilot telemedicine projects f or developing countries.