ABSTRACT Telemedicine, facilitated by modern information and communication technologies, has been extensively used in surgical procedures, encompassing preoperative assessment, intraoperative guidance, and postoperative monitoring and rehabilitation. This approach is particularly beneficial in regions with an uneven distribution of medical resources, as it bridges geographical barriers by connecting patients with experienced surgical specialists and promoting advancements in surgical practices. Building upon recent developments, this review reconceptualizes surgical telemedicine through a health‐centered, workflow‐oriented paradigm that transcends traditional reactive consultation models. This paradigm includes proactive, data‐driven preoperative screening and risk stratification, intraoperative telepresence enhanced by robotics‐enabled collaboration with established technical thresholds, as well as differentiated postoperative pathways that clearly distinguish safety‐oriented surveillance from function‐oriented remote rehabilitation. Despite its transformative potential, the widespread implementation of this technology faces multifaceted barriers, including technical constraints, economic considerations, and regulatory–ethical complexities. This review synthesizes current applications throughout the surgical trajectory, contextualizes historical evolution within contemporary practice, evaluates implementation frameworks, and critically examines enabling technologies. We further analyze the impact of telemedicine on surgical efficiency and resource allocation, addressing implementation challenges through evidence‐based solutions. This synthesis offers actionable insights for policymakers, technology innovators, and healthcare systems, ultimately advancing the strategic integration of telemedicine to democratize access to high‐quality surgical care.
Yang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.