shorten:In recent years, the use of telemedicine technology in U.S. hospitals has increased by 3.5 percent. Historically, a lot of this growth has been fueled by grant funding available for organizations to purchase the underlying technology and communications equipment to enable telemedicine services. The success of a scaled, sustainable telehealth program truly depends on knowing how to plan for, implement, operationalize, and maintain it. This, in turn, is oftentimes dependent on the establishment and maintenance of the relationship between those clinicians providing care via telemedicine, and the organizations receiving that support. Far too often, the implementation of the grant-funded technology, while initially exciting, ends up being an expensive coat rack in the corner. So if you're thinking of implementing telehealth, make sure you'rethinking beyond just the technology, and about how to set your facility up for success. Below are a few of the most common challenges organizations face when getting started with telemedicine2 . The bad news? They aren't small. The good news? Each of them can be easily handled with the right knowledge, planning, and partner. Plus, simply being aware of the challenges puts you in a better position than rushing to buy equipment and being surprised later