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LETTERS: Anthony C Smith, Victor Patterson, and Richard E Scott How telemedicine helps BMJ 2007; 335: 1060 [Full text]

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Promoting green and efficient practice across specialties

Paul C Stankard   (6 December 2007)

Promoting green and efficient practice across specialties 6 December 2007
Paul C Stankard, Specialist Registrar in Forensic Psychiatry Arnold Lodge Regional Secure Unit, Cordelia Close, Leicester, UK. LE5 0LE Send response to journal: Re: Promoting green and efficient practice across specialties	I read the letter from Smith et al (BMJ, 24 November 2007) with continued interest and enthusiasm for promoting efficient, effective and green practice within modern medicine. I am impressed to learn of the develpoing interest and activity in practicing telemedicine across several medical specialties with accumulating evidence for efficient and effective practices and with clear and significant benefits to the environment. We have previously described our strong interest in the practice of forensic telepsychiatry (BMJ Careers, 9 December 2006) and continue to promote this practice within the East Midlands. The conventional practice of forensic psychiatry necessitates regular travel, sometimes over long distances, to carry out assessments in prisons and other establishments, occasionally requiring more than one interview for the same patient. This practice, although at times clinically essential, is unlikely to be cost-effective, a clinically efficient use of professional time or display an appropriately sensitive attitude to the current general public trend to "go green." Our group in the East Midlands have developed a Forensic Telepsychiatry Steering Group, assessed current attitudes and practices of forensic telepsychiatry amongst colleagues and have recently completed an extensive literature review on the practice. We endeavour to "spread the word" regarding this topical, innovative and underused practice and have presented at conferences both nationally and internationally over the last year, receiving keen interest from the varied audiences. I am impressed regarding the similar activities amongst international colleagues within other specialties and would welcome correspondence from these sources. I believe that a collaborative approach across specialties in promoting the practice of telemedicine would be of significant value and would portray the considered and environmentally sound attitude of modern medicine. Competing interests: None declared