Telemedicine to Treat Inmates

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Telemedicine which could only be dreamt of a few years ago is now a reality. Telemedicine is nothing but a method of remotely diagnosing and treating patients by means of telecommunications and technology. The program is aimed at improving the accessibility to specialty care without having to travel.

Recent advancement in technology has also lead to deploying technology by means of telemedicine in prison in order to provide healthcare services to its inmates. The Colorado Department of Corrections and Denver Health Medical Center have come to an agreement to launch a telemedicine program for its inmates.

How does Telemedicine work in prison?

Telemedicine is the ability to provide interactive health care utilizing modern technology and telecommunications. Here the patients (inmates) are treated by a doctor by means of technology to electronically exchange medical information and provide medical services in various fields including rheumatology, infectious disease, orthopedics, general surgery, etc. The telemedicine setup is such that it allows video conferencing between patients and healthcare providers, transmitting still images and also to remotely monitor the vital signs.

Why telemedicine for inmates prisons?

Transferring inmates from one place to another is always considered to be a costly affair as it is associated with a high amount of risk of inmates escaping. The use of telemedicine can result in enormous cost saving as there is no need to physically transfer the inmates to the hospital. Telemedicine allows providing adequate treatment and care without having to travel the distance and also at a significantly lower cost.

With telemedicine significantly improving the access to medical aid, the government of various countries are also planning to try out telemedicine not just for its cost savings and security reasons but also for its convenience. Therefore it cannot be denied that telemedicine has taken healthcare services to the next level.

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