Medical Communication in Alaska by Satellite

Abstract An experimental communication satellite has been used since late summer of 1971 to provide daily two way radio contact between native health aides in remote Alaska communities and a Public Health Service doctor. Health aides, who after 16 weeks of training provide all the primary health care in their communities, are now able to consult with a doctor concerning treatment of most of their cases where formerly radio contact was impossible six days out of seven. Doctors and health aides have accepted the experimental communication service as an integral part of the Alaska health-care delivery system. The Public Health Service now has the problem of how to terminate or replace the experimental service without lowering the quality of health care that the native people have learned to expect. (N Engl J Med 289:1351–1356, 1973)