TELEMEDICINE IN MISSISSIPPI

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications and information technology to provide clinical health care from a distance.  Such a service is relevant to Mississippi which has the fewest physicians per capita than any other state.  Mississippi began the introduction of real-time, tele-emergency service connecting trauma clinicians at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2003 with rural emergency departments throughout the state.  There are both positive and negative impacts with the use of such systems therefore policies development is critical to ensure the system meets the state’s needs.