Telemedicine: Federal Strategy Is Needed to Guide Investments
NSIAD/HEHS-97-67
Published: Feb 14, 1997. Publicly Released: Feb 14, 1997.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the steps that the federal government needs to take to realize the full potential of telemedicine and achieve cooperation with the private sector, focusing on: (1) the scope of public and private telemedicine investments; (2) telemedicine strategies among the Department of Defense (DOD), other federal agencies, and the private sector; (3) potential benefits that the public and private sectors may yield from telemedicine initiatives; and (4) barriers facing telemedicine implementation.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Office of the Vice President of the United States | The Vice President should direct JWGT, in consultation with the heads of federal departments and agencies that sponsor telemedicine projects, to propose a federal strategy that would establish near- and long-term national goals and objectives to ensure the cost-effective development and use of telemedicine. In addition, the proposed strategy should include approaches and actions needed to: (1) establish a means to formally exchange information or technology among the federal government, state organizations, and private sector; (2) foster collaborative partnerships to take advantage of other telemedicine investments; (3) identify needed technologies that are not being developed by the public or private sector; (4) promote interoperable system designs that would enable telemedicine technologies to be compatible, regardless of where they are developed; (5) encourage adoption of ppropriate standardized medical records and data systems so that information may be exchanged among sectors; (6) overcome barriers so that investments can lead to better health care; and (7) encourage federal agencies and departments to develop and implement individual strategic plans to support national goals and objectives. |
The Office of the Vice President has made no comment on GAO's recommendations.
|
| Department of Defense | Because DOD is the major federal telemedicine investor and manages one of the nation's largest health care systems, it is in the best position to help forge an overall telemedicine strategy. A first step is to develop a departmentwide strategy. Therefore, the Secretary of Defense should develop and submit to the Congress by February 14, 1998, an overarching telemedicine research and development and operational strategy. The strategy should clearly define the scope of telemedicine in DOD. |
DOD concurred with GAO's recommendation and has taken action to address issues that had been identified.
|
| Department of Defense | Because DOD is the major federal telemedicine investor and manages one of the nation's largest health care systems, it is in the best position to help forge an overall telemedicine strategy. A first step is to develop a departmentwide strategy. Therefore, the Secretary of Defense should develop and submit to the Congress by February 14, 1998, an overarching telemedicine research and development and operational strategy. The strategy should establish DOD-wide goals and objectives and identify actions and appropriate milestones for achieving them. |
DOD concurred with GAO's recommendation and has taken action to address issues that had been identified.
|
| Department of Defense | Because DOD is the major federal telemedicine investor and manages one of the nation's largest health care systems, it is in the best position to help forge an overall telemedicine strategy. A first step is to develop a departmentwide strategy. Therefore, the Secretary of Defense should develop and submit to the Congress by February 14, 1998, an overarching telemedicine research and development and operational strategy. The strategy should prioritize and target near- and long-term investments, especially for goals related to combat casualty care and operations other than war. |
DOD concurred with GAO's recommendation and has taken action to address issues that had been identified.
|
| Department of Defense | Because DOD is the major federal telemedicine investor and manages one of the nation's largest health care systems, it is in the best position to help forge an overall telemedicine strategy. A first step is to develop a departmentwide strategy. Therefore, the Secretary of Defense should develop and submit to the Congress by February 14, 1998, an overarching telemedicine research and development and operational strategy. The strategy should clarify roles of DOD oversight organizations. |
DOD concurred with GAO's recommendation and has taken action to address issues that had been identified.
|
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Health care cost controlHealth care servicesHealth services administrationInteragency relationsMedicaidMedical information systemsMedical recordsMedicarePatient care servicesStrategic information systems planningTelecommunicationsTelemedicineTeleradiology