Rural trauma telemedicine.

Telemedicine is the ability to provide remote health care to patients with the use of a consultant and 2-way interactive technology and telecommunication. Traumatic injuries occurring in rural areas frequently carry a greater risk of mortality than those same injuries occurring in the urban settings. The purpose of this article was to increase practitioner awareness of the potential for improved outcomes as a result of the use of telemedicine in rural trauma care. The use of trauma telemedicine will help decrease the overall mortality and morbidity, length of stay at the urban trauma centers, patient care cost, and transfer time.