Telemedicine*

Examples and Case Studies

Examples and case studies of high value

Example1:

In many developing countries, people live more than 10 hours away from a healthcare facility.  The distance is not important, the time is because nearest hospital maybe only 15 miles away, but the roads are very bad or non-existing. In such cases, many patients die before they reach a healthcare facility. A telemedicine approach is of vital importance in these situations. 

Example2:

Example3:

• Low per capita of healthcare practitioners in Rwanda, especially specialists. This applies to doctors and nurses and can contribute to indicator #17 of the MDG - Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (UNICEF-WHO)
• Lack of specialists in certain areas like cancer, neurologists…
• Lack of trained nurses and midwives (linked to MDG #5)
• Expatriates and tourists who would like to stay connected with their private doctors or healthcare service providers back home or other country of their choice.
• Citizens who would like to get healthcare service from world class facilities without travelling there.

• Education: the facility shall be the bridge for teaching/knowledge sharing between local practitioners (physicians and nurses) and a vast community of experienced doctors from various healthcare service providers and the academia.
• Healthcare service:  the system shall have the capacity for remote (real time) diagnostic of patients living in Rwanda. Through this remote diagnostic, the doctor should be able to prescribe some drugs to the patient, provide health advice or schedule a physical appointment (if necessary).

• Create a world class healthpresence center connected to the broadband network in Kigali – Rwanda (High speed internet available)
• Link that center with renowned health service provider and academia from first world countries specialised in providing remote healthcare services
• Get local health service providers on board for providing assistance to physicians who are on the other end of the line

• Teaching and knowledge sharing platform for local medical doctors and nurses (midwives). For midwives, the emphasis should be put to pregnant women all along the pregnancy, during birth and the care given to the baby.
• Provide healthcare service to individuals who have their private doctors abroad who can interact through video conference system
• Create a network of local and international doctors is major domains: heart, general medicine, neurology, cancer,...
• Provide healthcare service to expatriates, embassies, consulate, tourists....
• Reduce cost of citizens while attending specialised health facilities

• Extend it to rural areas (facility in a van) for providing the same service to nationals connecting with health service providers in Kigali and/or international
• Scalable to other developing countries

• Healthcare services improved in Rwanda for Rwandans and foreigners spend a lot while attending health facilities in their home countries. (Contribution to health related MDGs)
• Continuous knowledge transfer to local physicians

• Donor funded initiative.
• The system can be self-financing through service fee (depending on its growth)

• OPEX
• Expansion

• Financing
• Securing partnership with remote healthcare institutions and the academic world.
• Incentives for local medical practitioners for adopting the telemedicine system.
• Risk: how is the system is likely to be accepted and supported in the medical environment (e.g: the Ministry)