title: Measuring adjusted quality of life in telemedicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research uses the quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) method to assess the QALE changes of rural residents before and after introducing telemedicine health services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on Taiwan's experiences of telemedicine provision over the period 1995-2004, this representative of a national sample is composed of 85 cases for people living in Penghu County, a remote area in Taiwan. Cases were evaluated using persons with life expectancy at birth from 85 to 0 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The provision of telemedicine health services increased rural population QALE by 2.91 quality-adjusted life years. Telemedicine provision does improve rural residents' health status. Relative to the index population living in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, the survival ratios of the population of concern >65 years decreased faster and were less than those of the index population >65 years by at least 7% and 3%, respectively, before and after introducing telemedicine health services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that the needs for telemedicine health services increased along with the aging of our society in rural and underserved regions.
authors: Department of Economics in College of Social Science and Department of Public Health in College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , Tainan, Taiwan .
authors: Fuhmei
authors: F
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012424:Rural Population; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan; D017216:Telemedicine