History of Telemedicine: Evolution, Context, and Transformation

The History of Telemedicine provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the evolution of telemedicine from ancient Greece to the present time. It places the development of this field in the context of the never ending quest for providing equitable access to health care and re-casting the medical care landscape, while trying to assure quality and contain cost. The book describes the origin of modern telemedicine in experiments such as those by Willem Einthoven s 1905 long distance transfer of electrocardiograms through the pioneering era of teleradiology and telepsychiatry of the 1950s, its coming of age in the 1970s, its maturation in the 1990s, and finally the recent transformation and adoption by the mainstream. The authors delve into the rich history of telemedicine and tell the story from its genesis to the present time, reporting its continuity and evolution, its various adaptations, and the context that sustained interest and development in this modality of care and continues to guide its transformation into the future. The authors central theme throughout the book is telemedicine s potential role in improving human health.