Telemedicine for Trauma and Emergency Management: an Overview

Abstract

Purpose of Review: This review focuses on the evolution of telemedicine programs on both national and international levels as it pertains to trauma and emergency medical care. Recent Findings: Advances in telemedicine have been shaped by increasing demands for meeting global health needs, as well as market-driven forces. Trauma and emergency medicine face significant barriers with regard to accessibility of care, expertise, and technology. Telemedicine serves to bridge these gaps on both a global and locoregional scale, making available the highest level of expertise and care to the most remote settings. Telehealth has served to advance patient care, surgical education, and inter-institutional collaboration through the use of modern technology. Summary: This review article highlights the evolution of telemedicine in trauma and emergency management and discusses recent examples and advances in technology and applications that can be used by a wide audience of health care providers to meet the needs of patients requiring trauma and emergency medical care.