Expanding tissue viability practice through telemedicine

Telemedicine can be defined as the electronic transfer of medical information to remote sites in order to support patient care and medical education (Norton et al, 1997). The concept of telemedicine has been around for more than 20 years; however, with the advantages of affordable technology it is set to play a major role in the future of health care. The use of telemedicine within the field of dermatological practice is well documented in the literature but the use of this referral system by clinical nurse specialists in tissue viability appears to be in its infancy. This article seeks to dispel the myths around the use of technology to enhance clinical practice and uses the authors' personal experience to describe its effectiveness for referring patients with complex tissue viability needs.