In a broad review of telemedicine applications, researchers Rashid Bashshur (Univ. of Michigan) and Gary Shannon (Univ. of Kentucky) have written “National Telemedicine Initiatives: Essential to Healthcare Reform,” (11 pages, downloadable).  They conclude that while EHR’s are potentially valuable, they “would ultimately increase the cost of care without contributing to necessary changes in the rest of the system.”  In short, they see healthcare reform in a broad sense, not simply the healthcare financing reform that Congress now is debating.      DOWNLOAD THE PDF