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Telemedicine can include real-time interactions between patients and clinicians as well as asynchronous, “store-and-forward” communication of health information. The latter can be applied to chronic disease management, as it was in this randomized study. Researchers compared comprehensive, office-based care or “virtual” telemonitoring in 120 children (age range, 6–17 years) with persistent asthma at an army medical center in Hawaii.
The office-based protocol included six office visits during 1 year. The virtual care protocol included three office visits supplemented with internet communication, including video recording of inhaler and peak-flow meter technique. Both groups had case managers who met with participants during office visits and …