Accident and emergency teleconsultation for primary care--a systematic review of technical feasibility, clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and level of local management.

A systematic review of accident and emergency teleconsultation services was carried out. Studies (English language only) conducted worldwide and published between 1996 and 2003 were included. Evidence relating to technical feasibility, clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and level of local management was used as the main outcome measure.

Remote working: survey of attitudes to eHealth of doctors and nurses in rural general practices in the United Kingdom.

Background: Health professionals in rural primary care could gain more from eHealth initiatives than their urban counterparts, yet little is known about eHealth in geographically isolated areas of the UK.

Objective: To elicit current use of, and attitudes towards eHealth of professionals in primary care in remote areas of Scotland.

Methods: In 2002, a questionnaire was sent to all general practitioners (n=154) in Scotland's 82 inducement practices, and to 67 nurses.

A multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of eating disorders via videoconferencing in north-east Scotland.

Until recently many remote communities in Scotland, especially on the northern islands, were unable to access specialist eating disorder services. The Grampian Eating Disorder Service, based in the north-east of Scotland, has developed a video-therapy service that offers specialist psychological and nutritional therapy for sufferers of eating disorders. Twelve patients have been treated via videoconferencing.

Tele-ultrasound for remote areas.

Summary We studied the introduction of a telemedicine service for the prenatal diagnosis and management of pregnant patients at a remote site in Scotland. During a 10-month study period, 85 videoconferences were carried out between the remote hospital in Elgin and the fetal medicine unit in Aberdeen. ISDN transmission at 384 kbit/s was used.

Video-hypnosis--the provision of specialized therapy via videoconferencing.

Hypnosis is not normally accessible to patients living in remote areas. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of providing hypnosis via videoconferencing, using ISDN at 384 kbit/s. Eleven of 15 patients invited to do so took part.