Telemedicine and distance learning--experience in Georgia and future prospects

Telemedicine and distance learning have a high priority in Georgia owing to the uneven distribution of health-care resources. Outside the country's capital, Tbilisi, resources and manpower are scarce, so telemedicine may be the best option for health-care delivery in spite of the costs. However, an adequate infrastructure must be in place to make this possible. The National Information Learning Centre (NILC) provides access to the Internet and MEDLINE and is currently assessing the best software for low-bandwidth distance learning and videoconferencing.