Stage 2: Infrastructure Survey

"Step 2 in the infrastructure is the infrastructure survey. And, this is really getting a detailed assessment of what the existing technological, organizational and programmatic infrastructure is, both at the site where you plan to have the clinic, as well as within your own organization or the organization planning to deliver telemental healthcare.

There are several different aspect of understanding the infrastructure you may need. The first is to understand technological requirements in this area. And this, of course, is going to be determined by what type of service that you intend to set up. For instance, if one's setting up a videoconferencing system, one needs to determine whether they are going to do this over an IP system and their Net-based system or a phone line, whether there are existing phone lines or IP systems in the community you plan to go to that could be utilized as part of the program or whether you are going to need to work with a local telecom company to create technological infrastructure."