University of Rochester
Telemedicine Committee Mission Statement

Telemedicine initiatives at the University will balance the threefold objectives of clinical care, distance learning and academic activities that result in development of new distance interaction paradigms.

The oversight body for telemedicine activities will be a telemedicine Committee comprised of representatives needed to support each of its missions: CME office, URFMG, Library, Office of Counsel, Planning and Marketing, Contracts, Informatics, and Information systems. Representatives from each major clinical entity within Strong Health will also be permanent members, including members from Strong and Highland Hospitals, School of Medicine and Dentistry and the School of Nursing. Individuals responsible for supporting the telemedicine activity from each of the named departments will be committee members. Faculty interested in telemedicine initiatives may serve on the telemedicine committee for a term of two years. This term is renewable by request of the committee membership.

A subcommittee consisting of a representative from Planning and Marketing, the head of the telemedicine committee, office of Counsel and Contracts will assist chairs of departments within the University in establishing new telemedicine relationships and will keep the telemedicine committee apprised of its activities.

The representatives of the telemedicine committee will be responsible for considering and approving support and services that involve real-time interaction over distances. Responsibility for asynchronous (store-and-forward) interactions for education, in particular, may be a collaborative effort involving multiple parties, including but not limited to the telemedicine committee, the Library, and Medical Informatics.

The telemedicine committee will be responsible for yearly assessment of the ongoing and potential needs of telemedicine activities. This assessment will be used within the University to support the budget approval process through the Department of Informatics and Media Services.

A call for proposals process will be initiated once a year to facilitate initiation of new telemedicine activities, which the committee will be charged to review. This call for proposals will contribute to the budget process, so that resources can be altered over time to meet new opportunities and changes in demand that occur.

Members of the committee are pledged to help applicants understand opportunities for revision or implementation of their applications to the committee, even if the specific proposal is not supported.

Definition of clinical services:

• Those services in which clinical professionals are paid to provide patient care.

Definition of Distance Learning

• Those activities in which real-time interaction between the teacher and the student is intrinsic to the activity for which payment is made. Note: Asynchronous (store and forward) interaction could also be considered distance learning, but responsibility for those activities may be shared among the telemedicine committee, the Library and Medical Informatics.

Definition of Academic Activities

• Research and education activities which the telemedicine committee believes enhance the stature of the institution nationally.

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Last update: 2/1/02 DLA