title: Perspectives on the patient-provider relationship in primary-care telemedicine.
abstract: This discussion outlines the rationale for considering the importance of the patient-provider relationship in primary care telemedicine. Although connectivity issues and cost effectiveness will continue to be necessary areas of discussion in the delivery of telemedicine, the patient- provider relationship, "filtered" by distance and technology, is equally important. Enhancing patient-provider communication in a telemedicine encounter should be at the center of the next set of research questions, and the focus of this discussion.
authors.affiliation: Office of Educational Development, SBC Telehealth Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-1123, USA. rjbulik@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bulik
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003197:Computer Literacy; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000379:methods; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013781:Texas; D014584:User-Computer Interface