By Healthcare Facilities Today

The days of dismissing telemedicine as a mere technology option are over, according to an article on the Hospitals & Health Networks website. Advances in health care delivery through audiovisual connections are allowing not just individual medical "visits," but different ways to spread specialty expertise around, cover shortages of professionals, compete in metropolitan areas and anticipate health reform.

Telepharmacy programs fan out to multiple states providing checks on ordered medications where no pharmacist is available. Towns without a primary care doctor now have virtual clinics for follow-up treatment. Telestroke programs are bringing vascular neurologists expertise to distant hospitals, the article said.

"In every metropolitan area of the country, there is at least one hospital system that's investing heavily in telemedicine today," said Jonathan Linkous, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association, in the article. 

A system of several hospitals shares specialists, saving on costs and increasing access to expertise. Urban hospitals are pushing their expertise to outlying suburbs and beyond. 

"If you're not doing anything now (with telemedicine), you're way behind," Linkous said.

Read the article.