| Summary: | Prepared by Carl M. Hild, Arctic Telemedicine Project Coordinator With contributions from the Arctic Telemedicine Key Contacts and Arctic Telemedicine Workshop Participants With Support from the State of Alaska and US Department of State In order for arctic communities to provide adequate healthcare to its people, there must be a sustainable means of delivering this care at a distance. Telemedicine has been identified as the use of computers, telecommunication, and medical tools that allow physical parameters to be put into an electronic format. Not only do existing programs need to be assessed, but specific service needs for distant delivery also need to be identified. At the Arctic Telemedicine Workshop in March 2000, Dennis Tiepleman of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference summed up many issues in the dynamic technological and healthcare environment by stating “Telemedicine is a work in progress.” Key contacts from each of the eight Arctic Council member nations and each of its four Permanent Participants indigenous peoples’ groups provided insights and comments for the development of this report to Ministers. Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG), Arctic Council
|
|---|