Telemedicine: A new health care delivery system

The resurgence of telemedicine can be attributed to its potential for addre ssing intransigent problems in health care, including limited accessibility , cost inflation, and uneven quality. After discussing definitions and the genesis of telemedicine, this review focuses on conceptual issues and an as sessment of past research. The scope and methodological rigor necessary for sustained development and policy making have been limited in this area of research, owing to the nature of extant telemedicine projects and the lack of a comprehensive research strategy that specifies the objectives of telem edicine research regarding accessibility, cost, and quality. Research strat egies and a framework for analysis are discussed. Without a commitment to t he types of research objectives, framework, and strategy presented here, th e considerable promise of telemedicine, as an innovative system of care, ma y not be fully realized.