The changes patients expect to result from telemedicine

A focus group of 12 persons who had been the subject of telemedical consult ations met four times to discuss what changes to the health service they ex pected to result from the widespread introduction of telemedicine. There wa s general agreement about four main themes. First, rationalization of care would occur. For example, health-care spending would have to take into acco unt the need for local care and there would be more primary care, with tele medicine providing easy access to specialists. The implementation of home c are would be facilitated. Second, there was an expectation that costs would be controlled, for example by the use of multi-skilled personnel and by ha ving fewer, smaller, newer and different hospitals. Third, quality control would be introduced (e.g. the widespread use of evidence-based medicine). F ourth, it was agreed that a change of professional attitudes would be neede d, particularly among doctors (e.g.more openness, less bluster and less hie rarchy). Telemedicine is likely to be a great driver of change in the healt h service. The changes relating to the location and type of work are fairly predictable, but the changes in relationships are likely to be profound.