Leading the Technological Innovation in Healthcare Systems

Abstract

The adoption of Telematics medicine or Telemedicine marks an important structural change in the mode in which deployment of medical care is being routinely provided. It is not a matter of using more or less developed technologies but mainly a deep change to the way in which countries and governments decide to provide and manage their national health care system. There is definitely a new paradigm taking place. Thus, the telemedicine approach implies deeply changing the way healthcare is provided. The authors are aware that this will take time, as does any cultural revolution, but for the time being, we need to start adapting our mentality and our networks to integrate and allow the two methods to cohabit together. Technology is one of the leading tools to allow this to happen, and it is necessary to understand what requirements are needed to get the maximum success. Years of experience have dictated the main rules and guidelines exploited in detail in this chapter.