Investigating telemedicine developments in Taiwan: implications for telemedicine program management

Telemedicine development in Taiwan has proliferated considerably since the 1990s, as manifested by its inclusion as a core application area in the National Infrastructure Initiative and other national initiatives. Judged by service volume and sustainability, all existing programs are largely in an experimental stage. The desired transition or advancement to real-world clinical settings requires a host organization addressing important program management challenges. The presented research investigated telemedicine development in Taiwan and analyzed the services provided by representative programs. Based on our analysis results, we discuss important implications for program management that are critical to the ultimate success of telemedicine in a healthcare organization.