System issues for successful telemedicine implementation

Although there is a great deal of activity in the area of telemedicine in the United Kingdom, it has not yet been widely adopted as a tool for healthcare delivery. This could partly be as a result of the fact that the various parties involved in the development of such projects come from different backgrounds and disciplines and as such do not always fully understand the aspects involved in the successful implementation of such projects. This may lead to projects not working as expected or being abandoned prematurely. This paper examines some common issues relating to telemedicine projects in greater detail. The rapid development of technology may sometimes overshadow the organizational and societal aspects of telemedicine applications but systems are likely to fail or not fully perform as anticipated if issues are not properly considered. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive, although not exhaustive, summary of some of the matters involved. It raises a number of questions in an attempt to increase awareness of all parties, so perhaps aiding the wider, successful implementation of telemedicine systems.