Telemedicine—which can be strictly defined as a remote virtual doctor-patient interaction—is rapidly gaining popularity. When initially developed, telemedicine was designed to allow health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in remote and rural locations using telecommunications technology. Now, many are beginning to utilize telemedicine as a replacement for the traditional doctor visit even when they are located in a city or town with many brick and mortar offices. The push for an increased use of telemedicine by insurers, third party payers, and many global businesses has led its development as a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry.
