Definitions Telemedicine vs Telehealth

The use of videoconferencing technology to practice medicine at a distance is commonly known as telemedicine.

In its purest form, the term 'telemedicine' covers the use of video, and associated information technologies (i.e. data/image transfer and telemetry - e.g pulse, resperation), to conduct one-to-one patient consultations. However, the definition has expanded over the years to include interactive clinical discussion groups, televised surgical procedures and clinical simulation.

Telehealth is a broader term that covers other health disciplines such as nursing, pharmacology, occupational therapy, radiology, dermatology, dentistry and ophthalmology. Telehealth traditionally describes the delivery of educational workshops and lectures to health professionals and students, live streaming of conference presentations and health-related administrative discussions.

By applying the prefix 'tele' to the above disciplines, a new stream of telehealth practice is created (e.g. teledentistry, teleradiology)

eHealth is a term to describe the provision of health information on the internet for either public or private consumption.

Teleconferencing describes an audio-only conference via telephone or IP network connection. Media Production Services at ERC does not organise telephone conferences. Please email Silvio Radoslovic RCH Phones on silvio.radoslovic@rch.org.au -- Supporting images and data can be sent via email for participants to refer to during a teleconference.

Last Updated 19-Nov-2008. Authorised by: Gigi Williams. Enquiries: Webmaster.