Wright D, Androuchko L
Inmarsat, London, UK.
J Telemed Telecare. 1996;2(2):63-70. doi: 10.1177/1357633X9600200201.
A committee was established by the International Telecommunication Union in 1994 to study telemedicine, with particular reference to developing countries. A questionnaire was used to gather data. Fifty-eight responses were received, two-thirds from developing countries. In most developing countries the user did not pay for the telemedicine service, at least not directly. There were few instances of a commercial telemedicine service, and in most countries the telemedicine service was subsidized by the government or another party. The telemedicine 'value chain' describes how equipment suppliers, telecommunications operators and health-care professionals deliver their products or services to the client, who is eventually the ultimate user. Quite different configurations are conceivable, and an analysis of what could be a sustainable, cost-effective value chain in developing countries is required. It is clear that the rapidly growing interest in telemedicine challenges the leaders of the medical establishment to rethink the ways they provide their services and to address the medical needs of areas where such services are absent or in short supply.
1994年，国际电信联盟成立了一个委员会来研究远程医疗，特别关注发展中国家。该委员会通过问卷调查收集数据。共收到58份回复，其中三分之二来自发展中国家。在大多数发展中国家，用户无需为远程医疗服务付费，至少不是直接付费。商业远程医疗服务的情况很少见，在大多数国家，远程医疗服务由政府或其他方提供补贴。远程医疗的“价值链”描述了设备供应商、电信运营商和医疗保健专业人员如何将其产品或服务提供给最终用户——客户。可以想象出截然不同的配置，因此需要分析在发展中国家何种价值链能够可持续且具有成本效益。显然，对远程医疗迅速增长的兴趣促使医疗机构的领导者重新思考其提供服务的方式，并满足那些缺乏此类服务或服务供应不足地区的医疗需求。
