Telemedicine in the emergency medical setting is nothing new. It has been attempted before in some large and modern urban settings. These attempts have had limited success and only a few organizations have continued to use telemedicine in a limited role. The Covid 19 virus and the modifications to the way traditional medicine and access to medical care that have come from it, have reintroduced the telemedical concept. This revitalized look at telemedicine has tremendous potential impact for rural healthcare. Physicians and prehospital providers are more accepting of this method of patient contact and consultation. This lecture will explore the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine in the rural setting. We will discuss the application of telemedicine in EMS and what modifications are needed to traditional EMS models for telemedicine to become a permanent feature in rural EMS. Topics of hardware and software will be discussed, along with expanded scope protocols for providers, and HIPPA regulations along with how they affect telemedicine. The presentation will conclude with telemedical success stories and actual case studies of telemedicine being used in the rural setting.
Learning Objectives:

Describe advantages and limitations to telemedicine in the rural enviroment.
Conduct evaluation of efficacy of telemedicine in rural EMS.
Define telemedicine and the potential uses in current rural systems.