摘要：Background: The use of telemedicine has grown across several medical fields, due to the increasing number of “e-patients”. Objective: This narrative review gives an overview of the growing use of telemedicine in different medical specialties, showing how its use can improve medical care. Methods: A PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus search was performed using the following
关键词：telemedicine; teleconsultation; telehealth; e-health; and e-medicine. Selected papers from 1996 to 2014 were chosen on the basis of their content (quality and novelty). Results: Telemedicine has already been applied to different areas of medical practice; and it is as effective as face-to-face medical care; at least for the diagnosis and treatment of some pathological conditions. Conclusion: Telemedicine is time- and cost-effective for both patients and health care professionals; encouraging its use on a larger scale. Telemedicine provides specialist medical care to patients who have poor access to hospitals; and ensures continuity of care and optimal use of available health resources. The use of telemedicine opens new perspectives for patients seeking a medical second opinion for their pathology; since they can have remote access to medical resources that would otherwise require enormous costs and time. Keywords: telemedicine; health care; patient
