In addition, rural hospitals do not have sufficient access to subspecialty care for instance orthopedics and neurosurgery. These factors can cause unintended delays in the diagnosis and treatment of trauma patients, resulting in poorer outcomes such as increased morbidity and length of stay. At these selleck products moments, the ability to have a more experienced trauma specialist available through telemedicine for a consultation is invaluable.

The advent of telemedicine use for trauma and emergency care developed out of the need to address such disparities. Telemedicine facilitates access to care for traditionally underserved populations in remote areas with fewer health services. Trauma surgeons can now remotely assist in the evaluation and care of patients. There are many studies demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of teletrauma applications in rural settings [9–11]. Perhaps the most significant effect is the decrease in time to treat trauma patients. Patients can be either treated locally with the

assistance of a remote expert or quickly transferred CP-690550 manufacturer to an appropriate center. This has significant cost-reducing potential for healthcare systems as well as patients and their families; as costly transfers can be minimized when appropriate avoiding further financial and social burdens. Rationale Technology is revolutionizing how health professionals obtain information. The constantly evolving state of medicine makes efficiently obtaining information a necessity. In trauma care, teams of physicians and other clinicians frequently rely on a flow of information using a multitude of communication modes. New surgical techniques and procedures, heavy emphasis on trauma care protocols and evidence-based

medicine naturally lead to the use of telemedicine to disperse new knowledge in a timely fashion. This is especially beneficial when resident education and rural providers are considered. Due to the geographical misdistribution of health professionals, rural providers often face professional isolation that can result in knowledge and skill attrition [12]. Physical ATM inhibitor distance from other specialists, regional hospitals, and continuing education programs prevent remote practitioners from staying Selleckchem 5 FU up-to-date. Work-hour limitations and changes in training duration for residency programs have challenged educators to find innovative solutions to overcome limited faculty resources and time while also improving the quality of medical education [13]. Telemedicine in surgical education There are considerable applications of telemedicine for surgical education and training. At the center of such applications is the use of videoconferencing (VC). VC first was first used to broadcast a surgical procedure overseas in 1962 [14].