A report by Dr Roger Peppiatt, a GP from Kent.

Abstract:

"The purpose of this report is to give an overview of telemedicine and its potential applications to primary care in the United Kingdom.  It was written during the period April to July 2000.  Information was gathered from a number of (mainly) UK sources, including the published literature of telemedicine, meetings of the Telemedicine Forum of the Royal Society of Medicine, discussions with a number of key workers in the field, and visits to several projects.

It was felt that restricting the report to UK projects would give it greater value to its intended audience, UK primary care groups.  This does not diminish the importance of research and experience in other countries including the US, Australia and Scandinavia.

Telemedicine is a method of changing how people work and behave.  This concept will strike a chord with GPs and nurses working in primary care.  This report focuses on these issues rather than on technology.

