New tool seeks to determine the maturity level of health institutions to offer telemedicine in times of COVID-19
Developed by PAHO and the IDB, the tool is aimed at institutions wishing to instantly offer remote healthcare services, and those which wish to self-assess to redefine concerns over the brand-new coronavirus
Washington, DC, 8 September 2020 (PAHO)- Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when most in-person health assessments have been delayed, telemedicine is as soon as again coming forward as a way to keep contact between clients and doctors by decreasing the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus, and making sure the continuity of consultation and treatment for those in need.
In order to help interested health institutions assess their maturity level prior to carrying out telemedicine services, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) created a tool they provided in Latin America and the Caribbean, in partnership with other institutions and specialists in the region and Spain.
” Telemedicine is key to bringing care to places where health services do not get here, and today it is a safe and reliable way to evaluate suspected cases of COVID-19 and other diseases until services return to in person mode,” stated Sebastián García Saiso, director of PAHO’s Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Health Action. “Determining internal abilities is the first step in beginning to implement telemedicine services, and the tool we developed can be a guide to progressing on that course.”
Level 1 is when there is no telemedicine initiative and level 4 is when everything is prepared to operate with full capability in telemedicine services. In in between these extremes are levels 2– when there is progress, however the organization is still far from being able to execute services– and 3– when good progress exists, and some telemedicine services could begin to be carried out.
In addition, the tool facilitates the recognition of potential spaces or areas that require attention and technical support from specialists, and presents a chance for those institutions wishing to self-assess to redefine concerns in the face of the pandemic.
The tool consists of a series of concerns arranged into 6 classifications: organizational preparation, processes, digital environment, personnels, regulative elements, and specialized knowledge. Responses to these questions based on maturity level will enable analysis of the results by multidisciplinary teams of experts and specify the steps to follow.
Telemedicine is not new and lots of countries in the area and the world already have efforts. And that’s why the tool established by PAHO and the IDB is key to making procedures cost-efficient, safe and patient-focused.
The development of this tool, which is currently being utilized likewise in accreditation procedures in some countries of the region, becomes part of the assistance for pandemic reaction operations for digital health offered by the Pan American Health Company and the Inter-American Development Bank. It is based on the models that different health institutions with different degrees of intricacy have executed in a number of nations all over the world.
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