Current Status and Progress of Telemedicine in Korea and Other Countries

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to review the current telemedicine of the Korea and the telemedicine of the other countries. METHODS This study reviewed several documents on telemedicine and summarized the documents on the initiation of the telemedicine of the Korea, the recent regulations of the government, the analytical research results, and the telemedicine of foreign countries. RESULTS One of recent demonstration trials of telemedicine began in July 2015 in the Korea. The plan was to conduct an emergency telemedical treatment trial among the cooperative medical service centers until the end of February 2016. No telemedical services were provided at the level of local primary care clinics, and there was 1.2% provision at the hospital level. The Europe Union and the United States had more active telemedical services in comparison to the Korea. CONCLUSIONS The introduction and usage of telemedicine in the Korea was behind those of other countries. It is necessary to develop a proactive support policy for telemedicine through a government implemented trial.