Training for telemedicine

All technology requires training. Simply installing videoconferencing equipment in a hospital or health centre, and leaving the manufacturer's manual nearby, is not sufficient to encourage or maintain its use for telemedicine. Presenting clinicians and other users with thick policy and procedure documents to be read and understood is also not helpful. Following initial awareness raising about telemedicine and its potential, staff must be properly trained: not just in how to turn on the equipment but in how to use it effectively for consultation, education and administrative purposes. Training needs to be continual, especially where staff turnover is high. It should be practical, pitched at different levels, incorporated into mainstream activities such as orientation courses and staff development days wherever possible, and supplemented with clear, straightforward protocols and user-friendly instruction manuals.