Telemedicine: 200 Years of Innovation at Risk
It’s been evolving for over 200 years and congress may put an end to further innovation in 2025.
On Friday, it voted to extend covid-19 telehealth flexibilities by a mere 3 months. If lawmakers let them expire, millions of Americans will lose access to care.
So much creativity and innovation has brought us telemedicine as we know it today.
Here’s a brief history:
Early History (Pre-1800’s)
- People have been working on creative ways to communicate medical information for 100’s of years.
- Consultation results were being sent in writing since mid 1600’s.
- Patients sent urine samples for diagnoses based on uroscopy.
Early e-Communication (1800’s to 1900’s)
- Union Army used the telegraph during the Civil War to communicate casualty reports, coordinate patient transport, request medical supplies.
- In 1879, a baby was diagnosed with croup over a phone line.
- In 1905, heart sounds were transmitted by phone in what was dubbed a “telecardiogram”.
- The concept of “the radio doctor” was described in a 1925 magazine article.
Mid-20th Century
- In 1950, the term “telognosis” was born to describe the transmission of radiologic images by telephone.
- The University of Nebraska used interactive video communications for healthcare starting in 1959.
- Wireless transmission of EKGs, cardiac data, and x-ray images first happened in 1960.
- A medical station at Boston’s Logan Airport was linked to Mass General in 1968 to provide remote primary care and emergency medical services.
- NASA got involved in leading initiatives to make remote medical services available to the Papago Indians in Arizona.
- In 1972, satellite technology made communication into remote parts of Alaska possible.
Developmental Years (1990-2000)
- The American Telemedicine Association was founded in 1993.
- The California Telemedicine Development Act of 1996 paved the way for future state and federal regulatory changes to improve telemedicine adoption.
- The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 mandated Medicare reimbursements for telehealth with some restrictions.
- The VA began piloting telemedicine programs.
- GA, TX, AK, AZ launch pioneering telehealth networks.
Maturation and Expansion (2000-2010)
- Teleneurology and tele-ICU expanded dramatically.
- Telehealth was increasingly used to expand the appropriate use of tPA for stroke patients.
- The VA emerged as a leader in chronic disease management and home care.
- The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act advanced telemedicine adoption by funding health IT and EHRs.
Healthcare has got to be the only sector in the economy in which we actually consider stifling innovation.
I can’t think of another…can you?
[PS: Check out the book, “History of Telemedicine” by Rashid Bashshur and Gary Shannon. That’s the source of much of this information.]
