In a five-year study in the journal PLos One, caregivers at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona in Spain treated 200 HIV-infected patients remotely through its “Hospital VIHrtual” telemedicine program. However, researchers cautioned that the telemedicine program does not replace the traditional face-to-face visits.
In a separate study, published in PLos One in January, 85 percent of surveyed patients indicated that a virtual hospital improved their access to clinical data, and they felt comfortable with the videoconference system. The virtual visits also enhanced the amount of information patients could receive.
In the United States, two BlueCross BlueShield organizations in New York have begun covering virtual physician visits, making New York the fourth state to provide this type of service.
Read the Computerworld report on telemedicine.
Read more coverage of telemedicine:
– HHS Awards $9.2M in Grants to Support Healthcare Access in Rural Areas
– Mass General Partners With Maine Healthcare System for Telemedicine Programs
