The application of telemedicine to geriatric medicine.

BACKGROUND

Telemedicine has the potential to improve access to the specialty of geriatric medicine, particularly in rural and remote settings. While telemedicine is widely used in some specialities, this is not yet the case in geriatric medicine.

OBJECTIVE

To review the current literature to identify proven and potential strategies for application of telemedicine in geriatric medical practice.

METHOD

A comprehensive review of literature pertaining to the application of telemedicine in geriatric medicine and relevant related sub-specialties was undertaken.

RESULTS

A large number of small studies of limited quality, and a small number of robust studies including randomised trials, were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

There is evidence to suggest that a variety of telemedicine techniques can be applied effectively and safely in geriatric medicine across a variety of clinical settings. Patient satisfaction is generally reported as high. However, caution is advised due to the paucity of robust studies in the literature.