In many countries, the quality of health care available to the rural population is lower than that accessible by the urban population. This disparity is caused by a range of factors, including a lack of public transport and the concentration of specialist services in urban areas. Although this problem is common worldwide, it is particularly acute in less economically developed countries. It is widely recognized that the most cost-effective solution to this problem is the introduction of telemedicine. Telemedicine would allow the rural population the same access to resources as is available to patients in urban areas without the need to travel. However, the successful introduction of telemedicine is a complex sociotechnical problem that has far-reaching implications for both staff and

patients.