Authors' objectives:

This report aims to establish a model for the assessment of telemedicine and a plan for testing the model in five specialities.

Authors' recommendations: Telemedicine is one of the fastest-growing fields of medical technology. Far-reaching goals have been set for it, extending from savings in expenditure and a more equal supply of specialised services to boosting the proficiency of health care personnel. Telemedical applications use telecommunication networks, which makes them an important element in the networking of the health care sector. In this sense, telemedicine should be regarded as part of the wide field of information and communication technology and as part of the establishment of a Finnish information society. In addition, telemedicine is integral to uninterrupted clinical management pathways, and this strategic tool has been used, for instance, in the medium-term survey of municipal profiles in the Health Care District of Northern Finland.

Authors' methods: Primary research, Survey

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://finohta.stakes.fi/FI/julkaisut/raportit/raportti5.htm

Year Published: 1996

URL for published report: http://finohta.stakes.fi/FI/julkaisut/raportit/raportti4.htm

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Finland

Organisation Name: Finnish Coordinating Center for Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: Finnish Office for Health Care Technology Assessment (Finohta)

Contact Name: .

Contact Email: fincchta@ppshp.fi

Copyright: Finnish Office for Health Care Technology Assessment (FinOHTA)