Several doctors in eastern parts of the country are increasingly using social media, apart from telephone and web-based system, to consult or seek advice from specialists.
Chief medical officer with the Pemagatshel hospital, Dr Thukten Chophel, over a telephonic interview, said telemedicine, for the past two years, has been picking up, and the number of cases consulted has been increasing as well.
“We can’t give the exact data, but we’ve consulted over 100 cases through telemedicine,” he said.
Dr Thukten Chophel said three ways were used to consult cases with specialists, who were in other parts of the country, through telemedicine.
“We consult cases through the telephone, web-based system with a software created by the ministry, and through social media,” he said. “We send X rays, blood reports and detailed examination reports, and specialists advise us with appropriate treatment measures, probable diagnosis of the diseases and whether the patient can be treated or should be referred to another hospital.”
But the most popular and active consultation done through telemedicine, he said, right now is through the social media. Bhutan Telemedicine Group, a Facebook page, has 83 members.
Dr Thukten Chophel said a specialist in Mongar created the group on the social media site. “Many doctors and specialists come together to discuss about a particular case and give advice,” he said. “To use social media as a forum for telemedicine by the health ministry was allowed after various meetings held last year.”
“Initially, after it was introduced, it remained stagnant; but in the past two years it’s been picking up,” he said.
Telemedicine’s focal person with the health ministry, Thinley Wangmo, said last year, from 58 cases consulted, 42 received responses, while 16 did not.
“Most of the cases, which did not receive response, were from the capital, since doctors and specialist are always busy round the clock,” she said. “But the hospitals in Mongar and Pemagatshel are doing very well.”
The focal person said, as of now, there is no telemedicine policy. “Hopefully, there will be in future,” she said.
Thinley Wangmo also said the ministry is planning to integrate telemedicine with the health help centre, and the budget has already been received for this fiscal year.
The impact of telemedicine, health officials feel, would have been more, if it had been introduced at the right time or in the right manner.
“It was brought too early, when most didn’t have much knowledge about such web-based systems,” Thinley Wangmo said. “Rather it should have been brought in step by step.”
Bhutan Rural Telemedicine Service was initiated in 1999 and there are 14 sites where telemedicine services are available. The service was introduced as a possible solution to alleviate problems for rural patients, and the shortage of specialists in the country, by sharing medical information using information communications technology.
To gain momentum, Thinley Wangmo said, it was important to provide high speed internet.
Doctors using telemedicine also said the only hindrance was the slow internet connection.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Thinley Zangmo
Quelle/Source: Kuensel, Buhutan's National Newspaper, 23.09.2012
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