DHHS, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)

In the mid-1990s, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) requested that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) develop a broad framework for telemedicine evaluation. In 1996, based on the deliberations of a 15-member expert committee, the IOM released its report, Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications in Health Care. The report presented a framework built upon five main evaluation elements: 1) quality of care and health outcomes, 2) access to care, 3) health care costs and cost-effectiveness, 4) patient perceptions, and 5) clinician perceptions. Since 1996, the field of telemedicine has continued to evolve and mature. Recently, the DHHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) contracted with The Lewin Group to assess current approaches to evaluating telemedicine. In particular, ASPE requested that Lewin extend or otherwise update the 1996 IOM framework for telemedicine evaluation as it applies to telemedical consultations The objective of this report, Assessment of Approaches to Evaluating Telemedicine, is to identify areas in which telemedicine evaluation is likely to be most useful in informing future policy and program decisions. Lewin's effort entailed integrating findings from a literature review, gathering information on evaluations of telemedicine activities funded by HHS, and conducting interviews with representatives of telemedicine programs and other experts in the field.

"Throughout the engagement, Lewin consultants listened to us and delivered superb analyses and thoughtful guidance–not canned solutions."  NONPROFIT HEALTH SYSTEM