Whitten Pamela, Adams Inez
Department of Telecommunication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1212, USA.
J Telemed Telecare. 2003;9(3):125-9. doi: 10.1258/135763303767149906.
We studied two rural telemedicine projects in the state of Michigan: one that enjoyed success and steady growth in activity, and one that experienced frustration and a lack of clinical utilization. Multiple data collection strategies were employed during study periods, which lasted approximately one year. Both projects enjoyed a grassroots approach and had dedicated project coordinators. However, the more successful project benefited from resources and expertise not available to the less successful project. In addition, the more successful project possessed a more formalized organizational structure for the telemedicine application. A comparison of the two projects leads to a simple conclusion. Telemedicine programmes are positioned within larger health organizations and do not operate in a vacuum. It is crucial that the organization in which it is intended to launch telemedicine is examined carefully first. Each organization operates within a larger environment, which is often constrained by fiscal, geographical and personnel factors. All these will affect the introduction of telemedicine.
一个项目活动取得成功且稳步增长，另一个则遭遇挫折且临床应用不足。在持续约一年的研究期间采用了多种数据收集策略。两个项目都采用了基层方法并有专门的项目协调员。然而，较成功的项目受益于较不成功的项目所没有的资源和专业知识。此外，较成功的项目在远程医疗应用方面拥有更正式的组织结构。对这两个项目的比较得出一个简单的结论。远程医疗项目处于更大的卫生组织之中，并非在真空中运作。首先仔细审视打算开展远程医疗的组织至关重要。每个组织都在一个更大的环境中运作，这个环境常常受到财政、地理和人员因素的制约。所有这些都会影响远程医疗的引入。
