Telemedicine -- a health reporting service connecting patients and doctor via the Internet -- could help underserved patients in urban and rural areas receive the care they need to lower their risk of heart attacks.

After a four-year study, Dr. Alfred Bove of the School of Medicine at Temple University Hospitals said he believes the healthcare system could use telemedicine to bridge what he calls the "medical divide" between treatment and outcomes for upper- and lower-income patients.

Bove's study conducted along with researchers at Temple's Telemedicine Research Center found patients interacting with doctors via telemedicine in conjunction with regular clinic visits were able to improve blood pressure, blood lipid levels and cardiovascular disease risks score.

Telemedicine had the added benefit of patients taking a more proactive approach to their healthcare through self-monitoring and self-reporting.

The study findings were reported at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in Chicago.