With 25 percent of the people living in rural areas and 22 percent of this population falling under the senior citizens category, telemedicine is expected to be a boon to these areas.
"In 2006, the rural market constituted nearly 70 percent of the total telemedicine market in North America, implying a revenue size of approximately $700 million," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Diego Levitin.
To tap into the complete potential of telemedicine in rural areas, providers will have to address the issue of limited reimbursement policies for telemedicine. They also have to deal with several legal and regulatory issues regarding physician licensing, policy, laws, and liability.
Nevertheless, the telemedicine venture is greatly helped along by technological advances and ongoing federal support for telemedicine programs and funding for investment in telecommunications infrastructure.
"Another program, the Rural Health Care Program, provides rural healthcare providers (HCPs) with telecommunications services, Internet access and satellite broadband communications at reduced rates."