Over half of NHS Trusts use telemedicine tech

Reseller Imerja claims NHS Trusts not using the technology need to consider adopting it

Over half of NHS Trusts in the UK use telemedicine technology to treat patients remotely, according to research conducted by Imerja.

Imerja contacted 144 NHS trusts through freedom of information requests, with 58 per cent of the 71 respondents saying they used some form of telemedicine technology.

The most common use of telemedicine was in the care of stroke patients, with 41 per cent of trusts carrying out stroke care remotely.

Ian Jackson, managing director at Imerja, said: "Telemedicine technology can not only enable remote diagnosis and prompt treatment for patients, it can also be used to provide post-op support, help treat patients with long term illnesses and facilitate collaboration between clinicians.

"If used to full effect this can have a significant and positive impact on the provision of care, especially if this technology is taken into the patients' home.

"Trusts that are yet to adopt telemedicine should explore how it could improve their service delivery."

Some of the trusts which responded said they only used telemedicine in one department, but one trust claimed that three-quarters of its 85 departments rely on remote methods.

Some 68 per cent also plan to expand their telemedicine capabilities in the near future.