title: Rural trauma telemedicine.
abstract: Telemedicine is the ability to provide remote health care to patients with the use of a consultant and 2-way interactive technology and telecommunication. Traumatic injuries occurring in rural areas frequently carry a greater risk of mortality than those same injuries occurring in the urban settings. The purpose of this article was to increase practitioner awareness of the potential for improved outcomes as a result of the use of telemedicine in rural trauma care. The use of trauma telemedicine will help decrease the overall mortality and morbidity, length of stay at the urban trauma centers, patient care cost, and transfer time.
authors.affiliation: St John Health System, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Mr Wesson); and University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Dr Kupperschmidt).
authors.forename: James Bryan
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wesson
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kupperschmidt
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011786:Quality Control; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*