Prehospital care telemetry--how essential?

The telemeterized ECG, once a necessary and important part of prehospital care, may now be an unnecessary, expensive luxury. Paramedic training now produces a professional capable of diagnosing ECG rhythms as accurately as emergency physicians. ECG telemetry may, however, have utility for esprit de corps, training, evaluation, and supervision of new or less trained paramedics. Recommendations for establishing or renewing community telemetry systems are made.