Telemedicine
TELEMEDICINE… A CAPACITY BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT TOOL…
Cooperation between national and international bodies gave impulse to the practice of telemedicine in Sao Tome and Principe what not only enhances the monitoring and guidance of more complex clinical cases but also promotes training and advice of Sao Tomean health professionals at distance.
In March 2011, IMVF held its first teleconsultation, transforming today, telemedicine, in an open channel connecting the Central Hospital of Sao Tome and Principe and the Portuguese specialists.
A more regular monitoring of clinical cases aims, above all, timely diagnosis enabling better therapeutic orientation or even the schedule for a forthcoming visit of specialists to the country. This feature favours a better resolution of the patients’ clinical condition allowing, in many cases, the avoidance of medical evacuation. On the other hand, in the case medical evacuation happens, the system provides prior identification, at distance, of the clinical condition of the patient, allowing to prepare and identify hospital(s) and physicians(s) available to receive the patient in Portugal improving, therefore, the effectiveness of the evacuation and, not less important, giving a face to the patient and to the medical team.
The possibility of exploring the distance support in several medical specialties works as a technological complement to the project Health for All: Specialties estimated to perform about 5.000 teleconsultation per year and to give support for proper planning of surgeries in Sao Tome and Principe.
Telemedicine also allows strengthening the scheduled training sessions, working as a complement to field missions.
Since the beginning of telemedicine activities, between March 2011 and December 2013, over 20.000 exams and clinical records of the various medical specialties have been introduced in the system, with the possibility of being consulted from a laptop anywhere in the world. These exams were the basis for the realization of a substantial number of teleconsultations and distance learningactivities that already exceeded the originally planned.
MORE INNOVATION, MORE VANGUARDISM…
In partnership with PT Innovation, IMVF initiated the design of a set of specifications which aimed to turn telemedicine affordable in what regards economic and communication requirements. This process culminated in a new telemedicine platform that puts Portugal in the forefront of technology information and communication at the service of Health. Medigraf® NG is compatible with any equipment or means of medical diagnosis and is low cost.
The main features of this equipment are:
- It only needs low-speed Internet;
- It can be used in a PC or laptop without special requirements;
- It allows the incorporation of a clinical process including examinations files;
- It has a scheduling tool;
- It allows consultations in live stream, remote or emergency;
- It has internal communication tools through internal mail and chatroom;
- It allows simultaneously sharing of consultations (or trainings) in various parts of the world;
- It currently integrates multiple devices, allowing real time broadcasting of the following: vital signs screens, echocardiography, echography, monography, conventional radiography, among others.
