The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Telemedicine

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern. Due to mandatory social distancing and the lack of effective treatments, telemedicine has become the safest interactive system between patients, both infected and uninfected, and clinicians. During this period, all patients, with acute or chronic conditions, need ways to obtain medical attention other than going to Emergency Room (E.R.) or to the clinic. Telemedicine has been an effective approach for COVID-19 management as it allows to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and provides support to remote rural location. The most optimistic forecasts could not anticipate the impact that a pandemic will have on this medical field, whose financial implications exceeded all expectation.