Telemedicine: benefits to advanced practice nursing and the communities they serve

To review the use of telemedicine in a variety of advanced nursing practice settings, its contribution in expanding the service and role of the nurse practitioner, and the regulatory issues of reimbursement and licensure.

Literature review of relevant journals, research articles, case examples, and web searches.

Although telemedicine has been utilized for many years, it has historically been used primarily by physicians. In recent years, telemedicine has been demonstrating its growing potential in advanced nursing practice in terms of economy, efficacy, and quality of care. When used appropriately, telemedicine complements advanced nursing practice in cost-effective ways and improves healthcare access to the populations served.

Incorporating telemedicine into the advanced nursing practice can be rewarding for both clinicians and their patients. Because of the high variability that exists among state regulations and payer reimbursements, clinicians are advised to verify their respective Board of Nursing Examiners, State, and payers' policies prior to investing in the establishment of telemedicine in practice.