The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) define the distant site as the telehealth site where the provider/specialist is seeing the patient at a distance or consulting with a patient’s provider. Others common names for this term include – the hub, specialty site, provider/physician site and referral site.

A digital camera is typically used to take still images of a patient. General uses for this type of camera include dermatology and wound care. This camera produces images that can be downloaded to a personal computer (PC) and sent to a provider/consultant over a network.

A camera that can display written or typed information (e.g., lab results), photographs, graphics (e.g., EKG strips) and in some cases X-Rays.

CMS defines originating site as the site where the patient and/or the patient’s physician is located during the telehealth encounter or consult. Other common names for this term include – spoke site, patient site, remote site, and rural site.

Telehealth encounters require the distant provider to perform an examination of a patient or client from many miles away. In order to assist the provider, an individual at the patient (originating) site is often needed to coordinate tasks, such as use of the equipment or obtaining vital signs. Many providers also prefer that a staff with a clinical [..]

The Universal Service Administrative Company administers the Universal Service Fund (USF), which provides communities across the country with affordable telecommunication services. The Rural Health Care Division (RHCD) of USAC manages the telecommunications discount program for health care.

Information, electronic or otherwise, that is created and transmitted as a continuous stream, as opposed to small digital packets. Most home telehealth devices require the use of analog lines.

This term is sometimes used to describe store and forward transmission of medical images or information because the transmission typically occurs in one direction in time. This is the opposite of synchronous (see below).

The capacity of an electronic transmission to transmit data per unit of time. The higher the bandwidth, the more data that can be transmitted. Bandwidth is typically measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps). Standard telephones are low bandwidth devices. Cable television and T-1 lines are bandwidth devices.

The ring rate or line power of the telephone line providing service into a given structure (e.g., home). Most home telehealth devices require a minimum baud rate of 14,000 to make successful video capture. However, the lower the baud rate, the more likely it is that disconnections will occur.