Defining remote health.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a definition of the discipline of Remote Health.
DESIGN: A broad literature search using key words and an Internet search of industry-recognised web sites were carried out.
RESULTS: Fifty-five relevant citations and nine web sites were reviewed, covering Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and United States. The papers offered a variety of definitions of geographical and practice-based approaches to 'remoteness', and definitions of 'remote and rural health'.
CONCLUSIONS: None of the single current definitions in the literature adequately reflect all of the characteristics of Remote Health in Australia. A definition is offered: Remote Health is an emerging discipline with distinct sociological, historical and practice characteristics. Its practice in Australia is characterised by geographical, professional and, often, social isolation of practitioners; a strong multidisciplinary approach; overlapping and changing roles of team members; a relatively high degree of GP substitution; and practitioners requiring public health, emergency and extended clinical skills. These skills and remote health systems, need to be suited to working in a cross-cultural context; serving small, dispersed and often highly mobile populations; serving populations with relatively high health needs; and a physical environment of climatic extremes.