RNA Diagnostics

The advent of modern communication technology has unleashed a new wave of opportunities and threats to the delivery of health services.¹ Telemedicine, a broad umbrella term for delivery of medical care at a distance, has reached around the world, and now health professionals can communicate faster, more widely, and more directly with clients and colleagues, no matter where they are.² Telemedicine may in fact have a more profound impact on developing countries than on developed ones.

Satellite stations in Uzbekistan, wireless connections in Cambodia, and microwave transmission in Kosova have shown that the low bandwidth internet can reach into remote areas, some of them with troubled political situations and uncertain economic environments. It has been more difficult and costly to implement broad bandwidth applications in these locations. Nevertheless, with the internet come email, websites, chatlines, multimedia presentations, and occasional opportunities for synchronous communication via internet phones and videoconferencing. Each of these communication vehicles provides an opportunity for medical education and medical care, not to mention collegial support.³ Of course, they also provide the threat of mischief occurring within the health community, with breaches of security, inappropriate use of equipment, and engagement of terrorist tactics to reach political ends. For example, malicious hackers have been known to electronically deface websites. Threatening messages have been sent to health providers by opposing forces in some conflicts. Lack of systems support may lead to higher levels of virus and worm infections of electronic patient data.