Telemedicine Applications in Obstetrics and Gynecology

This article reviews principles to consider when setting up a telemedicine (TM) program to provide care to women in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. There are different types of TM encounters and clinical applications vary widely. The consensus among patients and providers is that TM is convenient to provide needed subspecialty medical care when it is not available locally. These programs are clinically successful, but economic and cost-effectiveness data are lacking. Federal reimbursement policy is limited for TM. State policy on coverage and reimbursement varies significantly from state to state and is the main driver on whether TM programs are successful.