The strategic role of Telemedicine in the management of pandemics and epidemics

For more than one year, the SARS-CoV-2 has severely affected human health and all the people around the world are involved in social and economic problems. In less than 18 months, it has adversely affected individual and social relations, reduced global average GDP by five and two tenths, and has killed about 4 million people so far. Numerous ways have been tried to find solutions to overcome this global problem, but using the IT platform and the World Wide Web, which bring together the three elements of the patient, therapist, and health system, is perhaps the most effective. The solution is to overcome the pandemic reign of the “crown virus” at the beginning of the 21st century. In this article, while presenting the general concepts and principles of telemedicine, we will discuss its applications in the management of pandemics and widespread epidemics, especially in the field of infectious diseases. In this regard, the effective role of telemedicine in public education, prevention, epidemic control and management of social behaviors, remote therapy, and virtual visits, especially in remote areas deprived of advanced health services, as well as research during infectious pandemics has been studied.