Equipment for minor injuries telemedicine

Abstract

A telemedicine system for minor injuries work comprises two main components: (1) a face-to-face videoconferencing system, often including a second camera at the patient end for close-up pictures; and (2)a system for the transmission and display of radiographic images (i.e. teleradiology). There is a wide variety of equipment being used for minor injuries telemedicine in the UK. For videoconferencing, low-cost systems—including those based on PCs—and medium-cost systems are in use. For teleradiology, high-resolution systems (i.e. those complying with the standard set by the American College of Radiology) and low-resolution systems (i.e. those which do not) are in use. The quality of the telemedicine interaction for minor injuries work therefore appears to be less dependent on the sophistication of the equipment used than on other factors, including human ones. Equipment choice has implications for costs.