Growth of the quality of medical services in rural areas using a tele-medicine informatic system
Published on 07 September 2018
Romania
Bucureşti-Ilfov
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The need of specialized healthcare for patients who are isolated due to geographical conditions, degradation, age or disability.
The need of an increased home care with medical services by reduction of hospitalization, emergency system requests, hospital admissions requests, hospitalization costs.
The sole solution to compensate these problems (at short term) is to use the telemedicine solution (especially in rural areas and small towns). Consequently, the project has implemented the solution involving in the project family doctors from the selected area (three counties from the south east, including the Danube Delta, three regional hospitals, and the IT services provided through an acquisition of the system having as beneficiary the Ministry oh health (servers, network, software) and as administrator the Governmental Service for Telecommunication (in order to ensure the security of the data). For the family doctors, the project gave IT terminals (with video cameras), medical analyzers with internet connection, EKG-meters with internet connection and the regional hospitals own terminals and adequate interface for connection with the family doctors.
The need of an increased home care with medical services by reduction of hospitalization, emergency system requests, hospital admissions requests, hospitalization costs.
The sole solution to compensate these problems (at short term) is to use the telemedicine solution (especially in rural areas and small towns). Consequently, the project has implemented the solution involving in the project family doctors from the selected area (three counties from the south east, including the Danube Delta, three regional hospitals, and the IT services provided through an acquisition of the system having as beneficiary the Ministry oh health (servers, network, software) and as administrator the Governmental Service for Telecommunication (in order to ensure the security of the data). For the family doctors, the project gave IT terminals (with video cameras), medical analyzers with internet connection, EKG-meters with internet connection and the regional hospitals own terminals and adequate interface for connection with the family doctors.
Resources needed
Total cost € 18.2153500 of which Staff costs – 20%; Administration – 5%; External expertise – 20%; Travel and accommodation – 2%; Meetings and events – 1%; Promotion costs – 1%; Equipment – 50%; Other – 1%.
Evidence of success
198 family doctors from 3 counties prepared to use the tele-medicine services and adequate devices for life support and analyses; 510 specialists from big health units including emergency services prepared and included in the programme; Over 400.000 people from rural areas have rapid access to the almost all medical services provided in a hospital; A national informatic system for the Ministry of Health which based on protocols offers services to other interested stakeholders.
Potential for learning or transfer
The transfer brings benefits for doctors: Communication / Collaboration with specialists, Direct access to the patient's electronic file, Saving time with moving in isolated areas,
Improving continuous training, The provision of medical equipment in the cabinet of family doctors who could use the devices for consultation outside of the telemedicine system. The project was designed as a pilot to be implemented to 3 counties and intended further be extended to the country level. Specialists from counties Braila, Galati, Tulcea, Constanta, Craiova, Timisoara, Cluj, Mures, Iasi and municipality Bucharest were trained regarding the use of the project so, this good practice is transferable at national level. The only concern is the legal context dynamics and the financial availability of Ministry of Health and other stakeholders from territory. Growth could be transferable to regional level given the interoperability and compatibility with the technical and non technical dimensions.
Improving continuous training, The provision of medical equipment in the cabinet of family doctors who could use the devices for consultation outside of the telemedicine system. The project was designed as a pilot to be implemented to 3 counties and intended further be extended to the country level. Specialists from counties Braila, Galati, Tulcea, Constanta, Craiova, Timisoara, Cluj, Mures, Iasi and municipality Bucharest were trained regarding the use of the project so, this good practice is transferable at national level. The only concern is the legal context dynamics and the financial availability of Ministry of Health and other stakeholders from territory. Growth could be transferable to regional level given the interoperability and compatibility with the technical and non technical dimensions.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
National Institute for R&D in Informatics
Romania
Bucureşti-Ilfov
Contact
Senior Scientist 1