IT 304 Project: Telemedicine in China

The Second World Telemedicine Symposium for Developing Countries, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in June of 1999, decided upon these conclusions regarding the implementation of telemedicine in developing countries.

To put a large-scale telemedicine program into practice, it is necessary to take the following actions:

Create national associations and task forces to raise awareness of telemedicine at the national level
Construct national web sites to collect information relating to telemedicine
Create a database of available expertise
Establish a system between International Telecommunication Union and World Health Organization
- Analyze requests for support from developing countries
- Coordinate cooperation of other bodies including NGOs, the private sector, and regional associations
Introduce telemedicine into health education programs

Government has a responsibility to cooperate so that no one takes advantage of telemedicine and it is used for its intended purpose. Standards should be set, technological infrastructure and educational services created, and incentives for the promotion of telemedicine put in place. Some examples of incentives might include:

Reduction of service tariffs on telecommunication
Reduction of tax rates on equipment
Introduction of rates for rural areas, equivalent to urban area rates

It is also essential that appropriate guidance be given to developing countries. A development plan is needed, and guidance will help the countries to understand the required steps in their specific plan, as well as research and identify the proper ICT applications for their program. The proper applications can be determined by the technological infrastructure, both available and anticipated. This will help the countries with the following:

Identifying needs and defining priorities
Deciding how to organize their telemedicine system
Preparing project plans and budgets
Implementing pilot projects

Telemedicine is a tool that can assist doctors, not replace them. However, due to a suspicion on the part of medical professionals, the introduction of telemedicine has been slow. To speed up this progress, the following is required:

Create awareness of telemedicine applications throughout the medical community
Organize training of the technology, particularly in medical schools
Provide reassurance that telemedicine is not a replacement

The amount of integration will ultimately determine the success or failure of any ICT project, and therefore there must be a firm integration between the end-user community, service providers, and the technology. Telecommunication operators, both public and private, should guarantee access to their services in order to ensure a successful transition to telemedicine.