Republican Center for Organization of Medical Response

Department of organization of telemedicine advisory specialized medical care (telemedicine)

Aims, subjects and activities of the department

The purpose of the department's activities is to directly manage the processes of telemedicine consulting, internet medicine, the internet of medical situations and mobile health and direct participation in their implementation, as well as to ensure interaction and continuity between healthcare organizations at all levels on issues of advisory telemedicine assistance.

Subjects of the department's daily activities:

• organization of telemedicine consultations and consultations of medical specialists;
• planning of telemedicine consultations and consultations by specialists of healthcare organizations subordinated to the Ministry of Health;
• study of regional features of advisory telemedicine assistance and development of proposals for solving emerging issues;
• monitoring the readiness of republican specialized centers, regional healthcare institutions for the provision of emergency and planned advisory telemedicine assistance;
• ensuring interaction and continuity between healthcare organizations of all levels on issues of advisory telemedicine assistance;
• coordination of the provision of advisory telemedicine assistance between the republican specialized centers and regional healthcare organizations;
• coordination of the activities of the regional centers of emergency medical care on the organization of the provision of advisory telemedicine assistance;
• monitoring the validity of requests for telemedicine consultations;
• assessment of the quality of advisory telemedicine assistance;
• preparation of documents (agreements) on the interaction of the Ministry of Health with government authorities for the provision of advisory in the field of telemedicine assistance;
• preparation of documents (contracts) on the interaction of the Ministry of Health with the Main Departments of Health of the regions, the Republican Scientific and Practical Centers, the Belarusian State Medical University, Belarusian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education for the provision of advisory in the field of telemedicine assistance;
• participation in the formation of an electronic database on advisory telemedicine assistance;
• keeping records and reporting of advisory telemedicine assistance at the republican level;
• keeping records and reporting on the issues of advisory telemedicine assistance in the regions;
• analysis of the work of telemedicine centers (TMC) at different levels and stages of consultative telemedicine assistance;
• methodological assistance in organizing the work of telemedicine complexes;
• organizational and methodological support of the processes of distance and full- time training of middle and higher medical personnel;
• organization of the implementation of electronic document management at all levels of telemedicine consulting;
• information support of health authorities;
• organization and maintenance of international cooperation with neighboring states on the provision of telemedicine assistance to patients, both citizens of the Republic of Belarus and citizens of other states.

Objects activity in the emergency mode:

• management and organization of telemedicine assistance in emergency situations;
• control over the sustainable functioning of telemedicine healthcare facilities in emergency mode;
• organization of interaction and continuity in work between telemedicine healthcare facilities and the Ministry of Health in emergencies.

In order to coordinate joint efforts in the formation of telemedicine technologies in the Republic of Belarus and develop cooperation in this area, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, represented by the department of organization and methodology of remote methods of advisory specialized medical aid of the state institution "Republican Center for Organization of Medical Response", establishes and maintains contacts and cooperation with international and national organizations, unions, associations, foundations, centers; considers issues of participation in the UNESCO program, in the activities of WHO, the European Commission and other organizations in the field of telemedicine. Contacts with foreign partners, provided that the technologies used comply with international standards for the presentation and transmission of information, are a prerequisite for effective cooperation in the provision of telemedicine assistance to both citizens of the Republic of Belarus and citizens of other states.