AHRQ has released an update of its 2001 report on Telemedicine for the Medicare Population (AHRQ Publication No. 06-E007). This update finds increased evidence in favor of telemedicine, though significant gaps still remain in the research. Larger and more comprehensive clinical trials are needed to further determine the benefits of telemedicine in the Medicare population, especially in the promising areas of dermatology, psychiatry, neurology, and home health care.
The update was requested and funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and prepared by AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Center at the Oregon Health & Science University. The report can also be accessed online at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/telemeduptp.htm. Single copies may also be obtained free of charge from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse.