Abstract
To whom it may concern,
Thank you very much for your insightful comments. Our investigation was intended to provide an overview of the current perspectives on telemedicine and we appreciate your highlighting the important considerations regarding the availability of spine surgeons and stable internet access. These are important elements to consider, which can vary greatly between and within countries.
As technology continues to evolve and spread across the world, it would be interesting to see if more reliable and stable internet connections will bring access to medical care to those who may not have had the ability to consult a spine surgeon otherwise.
Regarding the limitations of telemedicine – we are in full agreement here as well. We have highlighted some of the limitations with regards to the physical examination in other manuscripts.1-3
We would like to thank you again for highlighting these important considerations. As telemedicine “matures” in the coming years, these will be important variables to consider in any future work.
Sincerely,
Sravisht Iyer & Grant Riew