TELEMEDICINE can be broadly defined as the use of telecommunications technologies to
provide medical information and services. Although this definition includes medical uses of
the telephone, facsimile, and distance education, telemedicineis increasingly being used as
shorthand for remote electronic clinical consultation. Interest in the field has increased
dramatically in the 1990s. State and federal allocations for telemedicine and related
technologies are likely to exceed $100 million in fiscal 1994-1995. 1 At least 13 federal …