HEALTH, TELE-HEALTH & TELE-MEDICINE The United States Center for Technology Leadership (CTL) (2007) provides the following succinct summary of tele-health as” bringing the collective wisdom of the whole medical system to any patient anywhere” The (NHIMAC) National Health Information Management Advisory Council provided the following definitions of e-health, tele-health and telemedicine E-health is the combined use in the health sector of electronic communication and information technology (digital data transmitted, stored and retrieved electronically) for clinical educational and administrative purposes, both at the local site and at a distance Tele-health is that subset of e-health that includes the application of information technology and telecommunications for diagnostic and treatment services, educational and support services and the organization and management of health services (including health information management and decision support systems) Tele-medicine is that subset of tele-health that deals with medical diagnostic and treatment services. Tele-medicine can also be said to be the use of ict to provide health services tot individuals who are sme distance form health care provider. Rather than being a simple a technology,tele-medicine can improve this chain for care. Four main component of tele-health · Real time or (synchronous) tele-health involves “live” consultation in a wide range of specialties ranging from dermatology and cardiology to psychiatry.Consultations may occur between medical professionals and patients, or among medical professionals only (for example , a GP and a specialist). · Store and forward (or asynchronous) tele-health is the transmission of medical data- such as echocardiograms (ECGs), photographs of skin lesions, blood glucoselevels, and x-ray for remote diagnosis. · Tele-homecare (or remote monitoring is the transmission of medical data for disease and injury management and prevention.Examples include monitoring of patient undergoing dialysis, remote foetal monitoring, or support and care to elderly people with chronic conditions living at home · Tele-education is the transmission of medical information, either for the training of health professionals or to assist members of the public to self-manage their health (including tele-triage)