Telehealth can be beneficial when used properly, say experts

Telehealth technology can help to make more efficient use of trained personnel, improve health outcomes, and bring financial savings if used properly, experts said in a congressional briefing in Washington, DC, on 21 March. That view contrasted with a study published in the BMJ the previous day, which found a particular use of telehealth not to be cost effective.1

Digital photos of skin conditions have been very useful for dermatology consultations, particularly in remote areas where specialists are rare, Mario Gutierrez, executive director of the Center for Connected Health Policy in Sacramento, California, told the briefing. “It is a way of avoiding unnecessary transportation costs and making more …