Tele-trauma and Tele-presence Resuscitation in Rural America: Southern Arizona Experience

Abstract

Consultations as eHealth Key Factor: Establishing trauma systems to cover, not only the urban areas, but entire rural regions is a goal of many countries around the world, but achieving this goal is not an easy task and requires major resources, and knowledge. Therefore, there is a need for distance learning or virtual trauma education programs that will prepare regions and countries for implementation of trauma systems, as well as management of potential large scale bioterrorism and disasters. The use of telemedicine is long-standing, but only recently has been applied to the specialties of trauma, emergency care, and surgery. Subsequently the concepts of teletrauma, telelpresence, and telesurgery have evolved and are being integrated into modern care of trauma and surgical patients. This presentation will review the current applications of Teletrauma at the Southern Arizona Teletrauma and Telepresence Program in rural Arizona, USA and future endeavors of telemedicine and telelpresence in trauma and emergency care as the new frontiers of telemedicine application.