Ethical and Legal Concerns/Issues Telemedicine is a newcomer to the field of medicine and is the treatment of patients using telecommunications technology. Telemedicine is done in a variety of ways, whether via smartphones, wireless tools, or other forms of telecommunication. Examples of telemedicine include: 1) transmission of medical images 2) patient home care services 3) Remote diagnosis 4) patient education and training. The diversity of practices in what is known as telemedicine raises many questions and one of these questions, which is extremely important, concerns the safety of the practice and the risks involved. There are myriad concerns related to telemedicine due to the inherent risks. involved, which relates to the most obvious reason most people would think of when the concept of telemedicine arises. One of the most glaring concerns related to telemedicine involves equipment failure. Equipment failures are a serious concern for patients and doctors when it comes to telemedicine because for telemedicine to work properly all equipment must be running smoothly due to the sensitivity of problems related to what is being performed. Exam cameras, remote monitoring devices, digital oscilloscopes, mobile telemedicine carts, and even surgical robots all work in tandem to prevent the transmission of inaccurate patient information that can severely harm their health. The next issue with telemedicine is security. and private violations. For telemedicine to work properly, sensitive patient information needs to be transferred from one location to another, even some distance… middle of the paper… the doctor and patient must meet in person first. face. In Florida, the following must be completed before any physician is permitted to begin telemedicine: • A documented patient evaluation, including medical history and physical examination to establish the diagnosis for which any legend drug is prescribed. • Discussion between doctor and patient regarding treatment options and risks and benefits of treatment. • Maintaining contemporary medical records that meet the requirements of Florida law. References Center for Telemedicine Law (2003, June). Telemedicine License Report. Retrieved from http://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/about/telehealth/licenserpt03.pdfFla. Statistics. § 766.104 (2002)Telemedicine License | State Requirements | Medical Licensing Service. (2013, January). Retrieved from http://www.medicallicensedirect.com/telemed.html