Telemedicine and ID Practice: A Leap Forward or A Step Back?

: Infectious Diseases (ID) specialists pride themselves on performing a thorough history and physical exam, and developing a comprehensive diagnosis and management plan. A timely question is whether this tradition is at risk from the coming wave of telemedicine in clinical practice? It would not be if ID specialists embrace the changes ahead and leverage new technologies to enhance the efficiency and reach of their clinical practices. In this report, we highlight the opportunities and challenges offered by telemedicine for ID practice (Table 1).