Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine: Advanced Technologies in the Behavioral, Social, and Neurosciences. 2010

Healthcare systems around the world are moving towards a quantum shift in care delivery. As costs spiral ever higher, cybertherapy -- the provision of healthcare services using advanced technologies -- is poised to increase the efficiency and quality of healthcare delivery to a larger part of the population. But despite this potential and the commitment of a number of countries to wider development, the use of cybertherapy services is still mostly limited to small-scale projects, and the sector remains fragmented. This book offers support and encouragement to all those interested in the development of cybertherapy systems. It provides evidence to build confidence in their effectiveness for detecting, monitoring and evaluating a number of important conditions and identifies and addresses the main barriers to their further development. It is divided into four main sections: critical reviews, evaluation studies, original research and clinical observations, tackling this complex subject by means of a clearly sequenced structure. Of interest to both health professionals and patients, the book charts the progress of cybertherapy systems in treating a variety of disorders and identifies areas where more work is needed to advance the application of these invaluable healthcare tools.