Recent advances in pediatric telemedicine

Abstract

Telemedicine is a medical service, which is offered across a spatial distance. Doctors and patients use digital tools such as apps, teleconsultation platforms or video technology. There is currently no uniform and generally applicable definition of telemedicine. In the broadest sense it is understood to mean the overcoming of temporal and spatial distances in the context of medical issues. This mainly includes the measurement, recording and transmission of information or the application of medical procedures with the help of information and communication technology between physicians, or between physicians and patients, possibly with the involvement of non-medical personnel. Pediatric telemedicine was performed yet in different pediatric subspecialties. The focus of this manuscript is based on pediatric telemedicine performed in general by two persons, the virtual acting doctor and an experienced telemedical assistant in the pediatric emergency department. The telemedical examination technique will be presented in children and discussed with special relation to current knowledge in medical literature.