Telemedicine Future
Technological evolutions are bringing the full potential of telemedicine to the fore. Recently, a company IRobot was given US FDA approval for a medical robot which will allow physicians to communicate and monitor patients remotely. So called "Robodocs" will improve the quality of telemedicine care and has the potential of revolutionizing this industry. It is literally a case of the physician going to the patient through a network.
As sensor technology continues to improve, several companies are developing wearable diagnostic clothes. Once on a patient, the sensors in the clothes can transmit a variety of information to the physician in real time or via stored media. This allows for accurate diagnostics and treatment. Many such innovations are already on the market or in the process of coming to market. Each device will bring with it new opportunities for improving the delivery of telemedical services to remote and rural populations.
A key component in the success of telemedicine is connectivity and the wide variety of mobile devices available today. Robust connectivity, coupled with technologies that give redundancy to WANs and optimize them, play a critical role in the future success of telemedicine.
The future of telemedicine is very bright.