American College of Emergency Physicians
Telehealth in Emergency Medicine: a Primer
By Neal Sikka, MD, FACEP, Sara Paradise, MSIV, Michael Shu, MSII, George Washington University School of Medicine.
Originally founded in 1998, the telehealth interest section of ACEP brings together emergency medicine practitioners interested in expanding patient care into the digital world. While not much has changed in the ideology behind telehealth since the group's initial conception, improved access to high-speed technology and a greater cultural acceptance of digital communication is revitalizing the field. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to re-introduce the concepts of telehealth, e-care, and mobile health in light of recent advances, and give a modern take on its applications within emergency medicine.
This paper will give an overview of the definition of telehealth, its history, current technology, practical uses, cost and reimbursement, quality improvement measures integrated with telehealth, as well as potential risks and opportunities to its use.
Funding Acknowledgment
This Primer was produced as a Section Grant Project of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
