Telecom in the telemedicine value chain

Telecom service providers are methodically addressing the business side of the telemedicine value chain by focusing new resources on the health care industry, in particular hospitals and medical practitioners. They are finding opportunities in developing managed services specifically aimed at health care needs and in helping improve healthcare IT efficiency. But the larger question looming is whether US telecom service providers have a bigger role to play in helping knit together the disparate parts of the complex value chain that is health care in this country. And that's a question that is yet to be answered.