The project regarding the introduction of telemedicine in Romania will be subject to Government approval. Rogobete explained how it will work
The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, declared, on Wednesday evening, that the project regarding the introduction of telemedicine in Romania is to be submitted to the Government's approval, most likely next week.
Alexandru Rogobete, Minister of Health PHOTO: Facebook
“Telemedicine or both projects from the normative act that is to be submitted for approval in the Government meeting, I think that from next week, they will finally settle a series of needs that we have identified in the last period. If we are discussing telemedicine, I am sure that in recent years telemedicine has been discussed. In the private sector, for example, it operates in an accelerated regime and has experienced an important development. In other European countries it has been used for years, but in our country this term in the public system was rather shy, if I may say so, plastically, introduced. There is no clear regulation of what telemedicine means, for which specialties telemedicine can be performed, under what conditions telemedicine services can be provided and very importantly, how these services are settled, because in the end we are talking about medical services that must be settled by the National Health Insurance House”. said Alexandru Rogobete, Wednesday evening, on Medika TV.
The minister also explained what telemedicine means, News writes.
“Practically, if we talk about remote medical services, this means telemedicine, it can be divided into remote diagnostic consultations, that is, the patient enters through a dedicated digital platform in contact with the doctor through an audio-video system and a remote consultation is carried out. Then, there can be the component of tele-ICU, that is, tele-intensive therapy, that is, a lower level intensive therapy. For example, it is connected with a specialized intensive therapy and medical consultation is given between colleagues, doctors, specialists”said Rogobete.
This legislative change, says the minister, comes in support of patients.
“I think it's a legislative change and an absolutely natural process that benefits patients, first of all, because they no longer have to travel for a CT scan that is not an emergency to the first county hospital or the first hospital that has a doctor. No, it can be done as close to home as possible, where it exists and thank God there is imaging in many city hospitals. And the result can come either in the specialized outpatient clinic where it was done at a distance of two or three days. For situations where the result is not a life-threatening emergency, for an evaluation, for a preparation, for a certain surgical intervention, for example, where it is not urgent, this is absolutely necessary. This is the idea of the telemedicine project, it will help everyone”explained Alexandru Rogobete.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health submitted to public debate the draft of an ordinance that will regulate telemedicine, which, according to the Minister of Health, Alexanru Rogobete, is a useful tool for the health system, but cannot be a universal solution. Not all medical specialties and not all clinical situations can be managed remotely in safe conditions, therefore the details will be regulated by subsequent acts.
