telemedicine

tele·med·i·cine -'med-ə-sən, -'med-sən n the practice of medicine when the doctor and patient are widely separated using two-way voice and visual communication (as by satellite, computer, or closed-circuit television)

tele·med·i·cal -'med-i-kəl adj

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n.

the use of the telephone or the Internet in the diagnosis and treatment of patients by seeking the advice, or a second opinion, from experts at a distant hospital. For example in telepathology digital pictures of microscope slides can be sent by the Internet to a pathologist in another laboratory. Using telemedicine, a paramedic can access a consultant in an A and E department for the appropriate emergency treatment in difficult cases.

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tele·med·i·cine (tel″ə-medґĭ-sin) [tele- + medicine] a branch of telehealth consisting of provision of consultant services by off-site health care professionals to those on the scene; diagnosis and treatment can be done at a great distance through methods such as the videoconference or rapid transmission of digital files.