Recently founded professional NGO focusing on Telemedicine, eHealth and Health ICT, intensifies efforts directed at mobilization of resources and bringing together important players in the field, to boost usage of modern Information and Communication Technologies in support of country's health care system.
Armenia inherited from the Soviet's centrally regulated public healthcare system a rather developed infrastructure and competent human resources. In the first years of independence country's health system was exposed to severe social and economic derangements, experienced significant breakdown, and is currently recovering and undergoing difficult transition towards health systems of the developed world. Among remaining problems are: lack of funding, equipment and supplies; often outdated means of administration; and significant concentration of healthcare resources in Yerevan metropolitan area, resulting in shortage of specialty care in peripheral, especially rural communities.
The ICT industry in the country experienced notable advances in the recent decade, evidenced by steep rise of number of enterprises, expansion of skilled workforce, significant and growing share of the GDP, and booming development of telecommunications. Despite that, penetration of ICT applications in health sector remains remarkably low reflecting among other factors, absence of national strategy and sustained policy in eHealth.
To address the above mentioned situation Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM) has proclaimed its determination to boost development and wider adoption of ICT in health sector in Armenia. In the time elapsed since its foundation the Association established partnership with major local and international government structures, organizations, institutions and companies related to the field; performed extensive evaluation of the field and consultations needed to initiate relevant activities; presented its vision and strategy to responsible governmental bodies, and obtained their support for proposed activities; participated in a series of local and international scientific and working meetings (including among others Med-e-Tel 2009 and 2010); and outlined concepts of several strategic long-term projects, to be developed in detail, prepared, implemented, and monitored during forthcoming years. These include:
Development of Long-Term Strategy for eHealth Applications and Services in Armenia
In accordance with the recommendations of WHO to member countries, AATM is campaigning for a centralized holistic approach to installing Health ICT into country's health care system. In that view, the Association has established an interdisciplinary working group (eHealth Task Force) with participation of ministerial officials, NGOs, academic and research centers in relation to health ICT, industry representatives, and leading experts in the field, to develop and present to the government a strategic plan for eHealth (eHealth Master Plan). The Task Force has performed initial consultations with local and international experts, started complex assessment of the field, as well as adopted a working plan and schedule. In the forthcoming months the work will be continued to define necessary standards and requirements for implementing eHealth applications, and develop a template for the Master Plan.
Establishment, Development & Maintenance of National Telemedicine Network in Armenia
Telemedicine in Armenia has the potential to improve performance and cost-effectiveness of health care system, especially at primary and secondary care levels. One of the major strategic goals of AATM is deployment and subsequent expansion of comprehensive nation-wide telemedicine network connecting together country’s health care facilities, as well as providing them with access to leading international health care institutions. As the initial step in implementation of the above, AATM is currently operating its pilot telemedicine system connecting a primary health care facility in remote rural community to the AATM headquarters in Yerevan, delivering specialty teleconsults to the community patients. The pilot project funded by USAID's Primary Health Care Reform project (PHCR) is to serve as a model for future expanded telemedicine network.
Among AATM's other strategic directions are Promotion of Home Telecare Services, and Development of Mobile eHealth (mHealth) Applications and Services in Armenia. Both programs are currently in initial phase of performing field assessment, defining requirements and calculating investments, establishing cooperation with interested stakeholders, designing concept and methodology, and developing time-tables of forthcoming activities.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.armtelemed.org
About Armenian Association of Telemedicine
Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in December 2008 in Yerevan, Armenia. The mission of AATM is to promote development of Telemedicine and eHealth in Armenia, via cooperation with central and local governmental structures, fundraising and mobilization of investment, implementation of Telemedicine and eHealth programs, collaboration with major local and international stakeholders in the field, and development of educational activities. Since 2009 AATM is the national member from Armenia to the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH).