What is telemedicine?
Where did this idea and term originate from?
In 1925, a magazine cover showed a doctor diagnosing a patient by radio, alongside an imaginary video device, for long-distance patient examination. In the 1950s, complex data from neurological exams, x-rays, and electrocardiograms was being transmitted from one clinic to another to help provide care to rural areas.
Inter-clinic communication also has a long history. Radio has been a crucial tool in providing medical advice to ships. In remote areas of Alaska, where traveling to a specialist could be costly, health aids in one location use video call to connect with specialists and assess whether a patient should travel to seek further treatment. Communication from hard-to-reach locations, such as scientific stations in the Arctic and Antarctic, were early participants in telemedicine. These applications often involved large devices and a trained telepresenter on both ends to use the technology, making it hard for telemedicine to have a place in every clinic.