Yesterday’s Austin American Statesman featured an editorial by Roy Smythe. The article discusses the limits that the Texas Medical Board wishes to place on the practice of medicine by remote and virtual methods. This is usually called telemedicine and it has a number of possible formats.

diagnosis by radioSmythe works for a company that is involved in the health services area, so I’d say while he is an advocate for telemedicine providers in his article that his points are well taken. He was previously associated with Scott & White and the Texas A&M University College of Medicine. I refer you to his complete article below.

I have long been an advocate for telemedicine in any form for rural and remote areas. For the elderly and home bound, telemedicine is a useful option if the physician is down the block. Barriers to access take many forms and there are many solutions. I refer you to an earlier post in this series from week 124, Medicine at a Distance.

Link:

Smythe, R. Why Texas telemedicine rules restrict access to health care. Austin American-Statesman, April 14, 2015.

Image Source:

Novak, M. Telemedicine Predicted in 1925. smithsonian.com, March 14, 2012