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2025-12-28
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Copyright (c) 2025 Abdulmonam Yaheya Jawad, Raad Fajer Ftayh, Owrass Abdul-Hussein Abdullah, Bushra Abd-Al Latif Jasim, Jamal Alsaidi

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How to Cite
The legal framework of telemedicine in environmental health and disaster response
Abdulmonam Yaheya Jawad
Al-Turath University, Baghdad 10013, Iraq
Raad Fajer Ftayh
Al-Mansour University College, Baghdad 10067, Iraq
Owrass Abdul-Hussein Abdullah
Al-Mamoon University College, Baghdad 10012, Iraq
Bushra Abd-Al Latif Jasim
Al-Rafidain University College, Baghdad 10064, Iraq
Jamal Alsaidi
Madenat Alelem University College, Baghdad 10006, Iraq
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i12.3984
Keywords: Telemedicine; disaster response; legal framework; compliance burden; legal adaptability; regulatory flexibility; litigation analysis; environmental health
Abstract
Telemedicine is an important method in disaster-response and environmental health, providing timely medical help under demanding conditions. But regulatory vagueness and legal perils limit its effective use. Emerging telemedicine innovations must remain in compliance with sound legal and safety resilience standards. This study assesses the legal flexibility, administrative burdens, and dispute patterns associated with telemedicine rules for various jurisdictions, aiming to pinpoint impediments and suggest tactics for legal minimization. A mixed-methods approach was employed: quantitative analysis of the Legal Risk Index (LRI), Compliance Burden Index (CBI), Jurisdictional Complexity Function (JCF) and Legal Adaptability Score (LAS), and qualitative assessment of 10 litigation cases and 6 regulatory practices in 16 countries. The results indicate major differences in regulatory adaptiveness; Australia (LAS 0.800) and Japan (LAS 0.750) have adapted legal frameworks whereas China (LAS 0.200) and the EU (LAS 0.167) have inhibitive regulations. Since telemedicine providers are operational firms, they are subject to how the local population responds when there is a dispute, and the rates of litigation in the UK and China are high. A well-articulated global legal infrastructure and enabling regulatory environment remain paramount for enhancing the role of telemedicine evolving in disaster emergencies. This includes optimizing compliance pathways, improving the resolution of any disputes and making sure regulation is flexible to adapt to innovation while ensuring legal certainty and patient safety.
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