Developments and directions of technology assessment in telemedicine

Abstract

In this work, we have reviewed over 125 papers about telemedicine, published and listed in medical databases (mainly in Medline). There is a difference in the approaches in technology assessment, undertaken by the studies performed during the past few years. Before this date, assessments focused on technical feasibility like network performance, image quality, etc. Today papers can be found showing results regarding medical performance and medical implications, patient satisfaction, and economical consequences. Other efforts include cost-effectiveness, organizational infrastructure, ethical consequences, data security and confidentiality, and healthcare policy implications.