Expanding the Scope of Telemedicine in Gastroenterology

Conclusion

Although the experiences of the team at George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center support the use of telemedicine in specialty clinics, the next phase of the project needs to address the utility of this approach and define the perceived value and potential problems of telemedicine. Obtaining this insight will require complex data sets with feedback from patients and referring and consulting providers. As trade-offs will likely vary between different diseases or symptoms, such studies will provide a better definition of clinical scenarios best suited for remote encounters. In addition, they may provide approximate values for distance or efforts that may make the cost of a direct clinic visit worth it, thereby defining boundary-condition.