Telehealth is becoming prominent on the national health care landscape as providers and insurers look for ways to improve the quality of care, create better access for the underserved, and reduce costs. Sometimes referred to as e-health, e-medicine, or telemedicine--telehealth encompasses applications as diverse as electronic medical record (EMR) systems, e-prescribing, and the emerging Health 2.0 social media functions. This report examines the current state of telehealth use, with particular focus on applications that deliver health care services directly to consumers (patients) at a distance, on demand, and via any electronic means. Despite the proven and potential benefits of telehealth, widespread adoption has been slow due to a number of challenges: low consumer awareness; provider concerns over liability; complex licensing and regulatory restrictions; and misaligned provider reimbursement practices. Nevertheless, there are business drivers currently pointing to a potential acceleration in telehealth adoption.
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