Which term refers to remote acquisition, recording and transmission of patient data via a telecommunications system for analysis and decision making?

• A. Telemonitoring
• B. Telepresence
• C. Telemetry
• D. Videoconferencing

Answer: (C)

This item tests understanding of terminology for remote data collection and transmission in healthcare. Telemetry specifically refers to the remote acquisition, recording, and transmission of patient data via a telecommunications system so clinicians can analyze it and make decisions. It’s the data-collection and transmission mechanism that feeds analysis and decision-making.

For example, a patient wearing a wearable ECG monitor streaming heart-rate and rhythm data to a central monitoring station is using telemetry. Telemonitoring is related but broader, often involving ongoing remote monitoring and management, not just the act of data transmission. Telepresence is about being present remotely or the sense of presence (often via robots or immersive tech), and videoconferencing is live video communication between sites, not the automatic collection and transmission of physiological data for analysis.