title: Communication technologies through an etymological lens: looking for a classification, reflections about health, medicine and care.
abstract: Information and communication technologies are widely used in healthcare. However, there is not still a unified taxonomy for them. The lack of understanding of this phenomenon implies theoretical and ethical issues. This paper attempts to find out the basis for a classification, starting from a new perspective: the structural elements are obtained from the etymologies of the lexicon commonly used, that is words like telemedicine, telehealth, telecare and telecure. This will promote a better understanding of communication technologies; at the same time, it will allow to draw some reflection about health, medicine and care, and their semantic and relational nature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine - Public Health Section, University of Padua, via Loredan 18, 35131, Padova, Italy. massimiliano.colucci@fondazionelanza.net.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colucci
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends
keywords: Classification; Information and communication technologies; Taxonomy; Telecare; Telecure; Telehealth; Telemedicine