At Asahikawa Medical University, we use telemedicine techniques in multiple ways to support physicians or patients who are not in close proximity. We also use the system for education: specifically, by using a telemedicine microsurgery support system to educate medical students, by using the consulting web system for case studies among ophthalmologists who are in different regions, and by conducting microsurgery teleconferences among ophthalmologists to improve surgical techniques. For practical purposes, we apply telemedicine techniques to exchange medical knowledge and information. We identified additional benefits of telemedicine when using the system for education, in that it facilitates the ability to communicate over great distances, provides an understanding of rural hospitals to medical students, motivates physicians in rural hospital participating in education of medical students, and connects ophthalmologists who feel isolated working in rural areas.
