The Cochrane Library have brought together a collection of Cochrane Reviews that fall within the three categories of telemedicine. Telemedicine can be split into three main categories: store-and-forward, remote monitoring, and interactive telemedicine. Store and forward telemedicine involves transmitting medical data from a patient to a doctor for assessment at a later time; remote monitoring uses devices to monitor patients in a non-medical setting; and interactive telemedicine uses technology such as videoconferencing and telephones for real-time remote communication.
These reviews have been prepared by several Cochrane Review Groups: the Cochrane Consumers and Communication Review Group, the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group, the Cochrane Heart Group, the Cochrane Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders Group, and the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group. Some reviews cover general interventions, while others focus on specific healthcare topics, such as chronic heart failure and smoking cessation. The findings of these Cochrane Reviews provide evidence on how telemedicine affects patient outcomes.