Telehealth: important concepts for future nursing practice in space environments

The concept of telehealth has become a vital issue to healthcare providers in this day of instantaneous, varied, and technology-based communications. This article discusses the issues and implications of telehealth to nurses on Earth and in future space environments. Telehealth will be defined as currently implemented and the legal ramifications of practice across state lines, national borders, rural, and in remote and hazardous locations (space environments: orbital, Moon and Mars bases) will be delineated. The age of information is now here, and the age of communication is beginning. Telehealth is and will be an important means of providing communication links and healthcare to clients and providers alike. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of important concepts related to telehealth for their current and future practice.