Telemedicine for cardiovascular disease continuum: A position paper from the Italian society of cardiology working group on telecardiology and informatics

Telemedicine is the provision of health care services, through the use of information and communication technology, in situationswhere the health care profeßional and the patient, or 2 health care profeßionals, are not in the same location. It involves the secure transmißion of medical data and information, through text, sound, images, or other forms needed for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of a patient. First data on implementation of telemedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of acutemyocardial infarction date from more than 10 years ago. Telemedicine has a potential broad application to the cardiovascular disease continuum and inmany branches of cardiology, at least including heart failure, ischemic heart disease and arrhythmias. Telemedicine might have an important role as part of a strategy for the delivery of effective health care for patients with cardiovascular disease. In this document the Working Group on Telecardiology and Informatics of the Italian Society of Cardiology intends to remark some key-points regarding potential benefit achievable with the implementation of telemedicine support in the continuum of cardiovascular disease.