Dive Brief:
- Telemedicine is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. as a means of connecting patients and providers. Now a growing number of providers are also using this technology to offer care around the globe.
- One prime example comes from Pittsburgh's University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which recently announced deals allowing video access to its physicians in Afghanistan and India. This follows on ongoing partnerships in many other countries, including China, Colombia, Mexico and Ireland.
- To help deliver its telemedical services, UPMC is working with Onsite Occupational Health and Safety, an Indiana-based provider of medical support services to multiple industries. UPMC's partnership with Onsite may lead to deals in Southeast Asia and also possibly several American states.
Dive Insight:
Few providers will have the muscle to go global with telemedicine on the level that UPMC has, but this does point to an interesting trend in which at least some providers in the U.S. look to build telemedicine infrastructures in friendly other countries. Between the telemedical tools available for use of international medicine, and the plethora of tablets, smart phones and other telemedicine devices available the U.S., we're only seeing more evidence that a robust global telemedicine business is on the way.