NCJ Number
169201
Date Published
1997
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Medical providers' use of online services for telemedicine is discussed with respect to the potential criminal and professional liability involved, as well as the potential for victimization, with emphasis on strategies to prevent and control such forms of illegality in Australia.
Abstract
Telemedicine includes the storage and dissemination of records for diagnostic purposes, digital transmission of medical images, computerized control of medical equipment, the use of interactive videos for consultations, transmission of medical data to hospitals from medical devices attached to persons at home, and many other services. The use of telemedicine is expanding rapidly in Australia and elsewhere. Areas of risk include the interception of communications and resulting breach of confidentiality, online vandalism and terrorism through computer hacking, fraud through advertising and electronic transfers of funds, copyright infringement, and unprofessional conduct on the Internet. Prevention and control strategies include both traditional law enforcement techniques and techniques that rely on technology itself. Medical associations and regulatory agencies should also help develop guidelines for practitioners and alert them to the risks in terms of civil, criminal, and professional liability. Close cooperation is needed among all involved in providing online medical services to ensure that they are used in ways that protect both users and providers from some of their more undesirable possibilities. 24 references