Kathmandu, October 7
The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has discussed making telemedicine services more effective, better organised and sustainable.
Those taking part included Health Secretary Dr Bikas Devkota, the acting director general of the department, representatives of Patan Hospital and Bir Hospital, and the head of the Curative Service Division.
The discussion covered the budget, human resources and institutional management needed to run telemedicine on a sustainable basis. It also considered managing the staff required for the service separately so that it can run continuously and effectively.
Participants also discussed organising the records and documentation of services provided through telemedicine, keeping patient details secure, and systematically recording consultation information.
The meeting stressed the need to identify problems and challenges that could arise as telemedicine expands, and to prepare in advance to address them. In particular, it gave priority to making identity verification of service users reliable and well organised, and to increasing public trust in telemedicine.
Minister Mehta said telemedicine should be developed not merely as a technology-based service but as an effective means of expanding citizens’ access to health care. He stressed the need to make arrangements that maintain the service’s credibility and quality.
The meeting also discussed taking forward the next action plan by improving the policy, technical and management aspects needed to make telemedicine more effective.
