[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":358},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-remarkable-examples-of-telemedicine":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":206,"relatedBooks":357},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":32,"project_category":47,"contact_email_category":48,"yst_prominent_words":49,"class_list":70,"better_featured_image":92,"acf":141,"yoast_meta":150,"_links":153},24382,"2019-07-23T19:14:42","2019-07-23T17:14:42",{"rendered":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?post_id=24382&_wpnonce=ad6dc988de&status=auto-draft&type=post","2023-03-07T17:21:37","2023-03-07T16:21:37","remarkable-examples-of-telemedicine","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fremarkable-examples-of-telemedicine",{"rendered":17},"From Vanuatu To Alaska: Telemedicine Helps Remote Communities Around The Globe",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2019. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd> \u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Did you know that up in the North in Alaska, patient records can only be transported on a sled with a Husky team if the internet connection is down? It could take around 30 days for them to reach the main city, Anchorage. Did you know that in Vanuatu, transporting a patient to the main hospital could mean a 4-6 hour boat ride? Or that the remote village of Supai in the Grand Canyon might only be accessible on horseback? Here we collected the most remarkable examples where telemedicine can truly make a difference. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Connections matter\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Telemedicine promises to fulfill a natural demand in the digital age: how to bring patients and doctors closer to each other without the need to lose long hours through traveling but gain all the benefits of healthcare\u003C\u002Fstrong>. It offers a chance to get in touch, ask questions and receive responses for issues that need to be answered immediately. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"One Minute Challenge: Telemedicine - The Medical Futurist\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FdQ-rjGz15yM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It’s valuable not only for patients who will not need to travel long hours to visit their GP but also for medical professionals who serve in remote communities. Usually, small villages or sparsely-populated areas have one doctor or nurse for all kinds of problems who cannot turn to anyone for advice. Thus, beyond offering immediate medical relief, telemedicine, through instant and digital communication, can become a bridge for skill transfer, too. And overall, it can balance out inequalities in care services that present when it comes to remote communities and densely populated, urban areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"395\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRise-of-Telemedicine-512x395.png\" alt=\"telemedicine\" class=\"wp-image-24383\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRise-of-Telemedicine-512x395.png 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRise-of-Telemedicine-768x592.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRise-of-Telemedicine.png 1460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.medium.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>1) Telemedicine could impact the life expectancy of Inuit people\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpmc\u002Farticles\u002FPMC3753140\u002F\">Statistics show\u003C\u002Fa> that disparities in providing care services to Canadians who live in the North have had a major negative impact on their life expectancy. \u003Cstrong>Indigenous people, such as the Inuit, have an average life expectancy that is 11 years lower than the rest of Canadians. Beyond significant social factors, a low population density within a vast and remote territorial expanse have contributed to this inequality in health status\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Remote northern Canadian communities typically have community health clinics staffed by nurses who practice with the support of off-site family physicians located in regional health centers. Physicians visit remote clinics from time to time, but the system basically relies on air transport for accessing specialists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Telemedicine can significantly change the practice and provide better care to Inuit communities\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Ole Eichhorn, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fintouchhealth.com\u002F?gdprorigin=true\">InTouch Health\u003C\u002Fa>’s CTO told The Medical Futurist that they have a physician group using their technology who serve Inuit populations living in the Arctic. Many of these people live in cities which are completely inaccessible except via dog sleds and seaplanes landing on ice. Bringing emergency medical expertise to these communities via telemedicine has been life-changing, and without exception, they have embraced it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FInuit-Arctic-512x268.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24397\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FInuit-Arctic-512x268.jpeg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FInuit-Arctic-768x402.jpeg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FInuit-Arctic-1536x803.jpeg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FInuit-Arctic.jpeg 1910w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.huffpost.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>2) In Alaska, telemedicine is an alternative to dog sleds\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The northernmost part of the United States battles the same problems as Canada: large areas with low population densities – and thus a very sporadic health care network\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Small villages in Alaska often don’t even have a nurse practitioner, not to speak about doctors. Moreover, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsearchhealthit.techtarget.com\u002Ffeature\u002FTelehealth-program-key-to-quality-healthcare-in-Alaska\">as a back-up plan for the broadband internet connection, healthcare providers say\u003C\u002Fa> in case of emergency, they must load up patient records on a sled with a dog team and make the 30-day journey to Anchorage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Thus, \u003Cstrong>Alaska seems to be another area where telemedicine can be the solution bridging patients with doctors or practicing nurses with specialists. Fortunately, locals recognized some years ago, so telehealth services have already been \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsearchhealthit.techtarget.com\u002Ffeature\u002FTelehealth-program-key-to-quality-healthcare-in-Alaska\">present in the area for more than two decades\u003C\u002Fa> and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fanthc.org\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Ftelehealth\u002F\">Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium\u003C\u002Fa> has been offering its telehealth services since 2001\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Through telehealth consultations, people can remain in their home communities while accessing high-quality care providers and specialists in urban centers – usually not available in rural areas. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Practice-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"telemedicine call\" class=\"wp-image-24385\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Practice-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Practice-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Practice-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Practice.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.dailyyonder.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>3) Broadband instead of boats in Vanuatu\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In\nthe small island nation of Vanuatu located in the South Pacific, it could take a\n4-6-hour boat ride to get to the main healthcare facility, the Lolowai\nHospital. Moreover, until recently, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abc.net.au\u002Fnews\u002F2016-08-08\u002Fhigh-speed-internet-revolutionises-medicine-in-vanuatu\u002F7699936\">in\ncertain remote villages in Vanuatu, such as in Naviso\u003C\u002Fa>, patients in need of\nemergency medical treatment had to be carried by stretcher up the 500-meter\nincline and across Maewo island to the nearest hospital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>In 2016, the struggles significantly eased with the arrival of a high-speed internet connection and the country’s first telemedicine system connecting remote nurses to physicians. The \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fdailypost.vu\u002Fnews\u002Fmaewo-nurses-saving-lives-through-telemedicine\u002Farticle_db9fd93d-f23c-5515-85a6-5edb8f69b82c.html\">government-supported telehealth network mainly connects physicians and specialists\u003C\u002Fa> to local nurses offering telemedical consultations and learning opportunities\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The new system saved the life of a pregnant woman already after its introduction: the nurse could provide the appropriate care to the patient right after connecting with a doctor via Facebook. \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Vanuatu-512x341.jpg\" alt=\"telemedicine\" class=\"wp-image-24386\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Vanuatu-512x341.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Vanuatu-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FTelemedicine-In-Vanuatu.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.1worldconnected.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>4) The Havasupai tribe needs telemedicine\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fktar.com\u002Fstory\u002F2651577\u002Flack-of-broadband-puts-havasupai-tribe-rural-areas-in-jeopardy\u002F\">Havasupai\ntribe lives on the floor of the Grand Canyon\u003C\u002Fa> in an extremely isolated area\nthat is only accessible by horseback, helicopter or an 8-mile hike – with a\ntrailhead that is 67 miles to the nearest town\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\nBesides the 398 people who live all year long in the village of Supai, the\ncommunity and its waterfalls attract 35,000 tourists a year, which requires the\nability to provide efficient healthcare and emergency services.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While the tribe has recently secured a 30 megabits-per-second connection to be able to provide online education and later on, telemedical services, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fktar.com\u002Fstory\u002F2651577\u002Flack-of-broadband-puts-havasupai-tribe-rural-areas-in-jeopardy\u002F\">Ophelia Watahomigie-Corliss recently urged more effort from the U.S. government to help\u003C\u002Fa> the tribe applying the latest technologies. \u003Cstrong>Their first plan is to expand the broadband connection to the whole village, and then provide emergency communications throughout the canyon, connect an online charter high school and allow for telemedicine in the new clinic\u003C\u002Fstrong>. That would certainly bring the area to the 21st century for example by making riding patients to the nearest medical facility on horseback unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRemote-Village-Of-Supai-512x384.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24387\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRemote-Village-Of-Supai-512x384.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRemote-Village-Of-Supai-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRemote-Village-Of-Supai-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FRemote-Village-Of-Supai.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.musthikemusteat.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>5) How do captains handle medical emergencies?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A ship traveling hundreds of miles away from the shore naturally needs to be the point of care when it comes to medical emergencies as there’s literally nothing around except deep blue water. However, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ship-technology.com\u002Ffeatures\u002Ffeaturetelemedicine-revolutionising-healthcare-for-seafarers-5673476\u002F\">a study published in 2013 in the International Maritime Health journal\u003C\u002Fa>, which sampled 23,299 commercial ships with 420,000 crewmembers, found that one in five ships is forced to divert course for medical reasons each year, at a total cost of $168m to the industry. This also means that sea vehicles don’t necessarily have the equipment for treating crew members on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The same study found that \u003Cstrong>quick access to on-board telemedical equipment can not only put the crew’s mind at ease, but it can also help identify up to 20 percent of preventable cases that do not warrant a diversion. In spite of the obvious benefits of telehealth in the case of seafarers, the overall development of such services is in its early stages. However, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmhealthintelligence.com\u002Fnews\u002Falaskas-maritime-industry-looks-to-telemedicine-to-save-lives\">maritime physicians in Alaska\u003C\u002Fa>, for example, are already treating sailors and fishermen using a telemedical platform\u003C\u002Fstrong>. In the future, we hope that the number of maritime telehealth services will increase and no seafarer has to worry about their health on board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"339\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMaritime-telemedicine-512x339.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24388\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMaritime-telemedicine-512x339.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMaritime-telemedicine-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMaritime-telemedicine-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002FMaritime-telemedicine.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: www.digigone.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As\nthe above examples show, in most of these remote areas, telemedicine presents\nitself as a highly positive and viable alternative compared to transporting\npatients or medical knowledge through air, sea, or snowy land routes. This also\nmeans that in these areas, telehealth services can alleviate the lack of\nappropriate medical services and thus the inequalities compared to urban\nsettings. That’s why we hope that more and more remote areas will recognize the\npotential in digital health technologies, such as telemedicine, and urge\n(local) governments and respective authorities to support the implementation of\nthese services, which truly serve the greater good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Did you know that up in the North in Alaska, patient records might only be transported on a sled with a Husky team if the internet connection is down? It could take around 30 days for them to reach the main city, Anchorage. Did you know that in Vanuatu, transporting a patient to the main hospital could mean a 4-6 hour boat ride? Or that the remote village of Supai in the Grand Canyon might only be accessible on horseback? Here we collected the most remarkable examples where telemedicine can truly make a difference. \u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,24389,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31],494,[33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46],304,425,595,637,723,182,1155,246,1318,271,1430,275,1431,289,[],[],[50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69],1631,2833,1723,2835,1883,2837,1987,2839,2819,2841,2821,2843,2823,2845,2825,2849,2827,2829,1571,2831,[71,14,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91],"post-24382","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-telemedicine","tag-medical","tag-technology-2","tag-medical-technology","tag-telehealth","tag-telemedicine","tag-community","tag-telemedical","tag-future","tag-telecommunication","tag-health","tag-remote","tag-healthcare","tag-platform","tag-innovation",{"id":24,"alt_text":93,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":94,"media_details":95,"post":5,"source_url":140},"telemedicine","image",{"width":96,"height":97,"file":98,"sizes":99,"image_meta":137},1934,960,"2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility.jpg",{"medium":100,"large":106,"thumbnail":111,"medium_large":115,"1536x1536":116,"large_old_512x254":121,"thumbnail_old_150x150":126,"medium_old_370x208":128,"medium_large_old_768x381":131,"large_old_512x254_old_512x254":134},{"file":101,"width":102,"height":103,"mime-type":104,"source_url":105},"6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-370x208.jpg",370,208,"image\u002Fjpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-370x208.jpg",{"file":107,"width":108,"height":109,"mime-type":104,"source_url":110},"6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-768x381.jpg",768,381,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-768x381.jpg",{"file":112,"width":113,"height":113,"mime-type":104,"source_url":114},"6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-150x150.jpg",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-150x150.jpg",{"file":107,"width":108,"height":109,"mime-type":104,"source_url":110},{"file":117,"width":118,"height":119,"mime-type":104,"source_url":120},"6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-1536x762.jpg",1536,762,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-1536x762.jpg",{"file":122,"width":123,"height":124,"mime-type":104,"source_url":125},"6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-512x254.jpg",512,254,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility-512x254.jpg",{"file":112,"width":127,"height":127,"mime-type":104,"source_url":114},"150",{"file":101,"width":129,"height":130,"mime-type":104,"source_url":105},"370","208",{"file":107,"width":132,"height":133,"mime-type":104,"source_url":110},"768","381",{"file":122,"width":135,"height":136,"mime-type":104,"source_url":125},"512","254",{"aperture":138,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":138,"copyright":27,"focal_length":138,"iso":138,"shutter_speed":138,"title":27,"orientation":138,"keywords":139},"0",[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F07\u002F6-telehealth-benefits-for-your-facility.jpg",{"related_posts":142,"related_posts_footer":146,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[143,144,145],16189,23760,23980,[147,148,149],22457,21665,21678,{"yoast_wpseo_title":151,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":152,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"5 Remarkable Examples of Telemedicine - The Medical Futurist","The Present and Future of Telemedicine: 1) Telemedicine could impact the life expectancy of Inuit people 2) In Alaska, it's an alternative to dog sleds",{"self":154,"collection":160,"about":163,"author":166,"replies":169,"version-history":172,"predecessor-version":176,"wp:featuredmedia":180,"wp:attachment":183,"wp:term":186,"curies":202},[155],{"href":156,"targetHints":157},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24382",{"allow":158},[159],"GET",[161],{"href":162},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[164],{"href":165},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[167],{"embeddable":26,"href":168},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[170],{"embeddable":26,"href":171},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=24382",[173],{"count":174,"href":175},16,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24382\u002Frevisions",[177],{"id":178,"href":179},49891,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F24382\u002Frevisions\u002F49891",[181],{"embeddable":26,"href":182},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F24389",[184],{"href":185},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=24382",[187,190,193,196,199],{"taxonomy":188,"embeddable":26,"href":189},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=24382",{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":192},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=24382",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":195},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=24382",{"taxonomy":197,"embeddable":26,"href":198},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=24382",{"taxonomy":200,"embeddable":26,"href":201},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=24382",[203],{"name":204,"href":205,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[207],{"id":149,"date":208,"date_gmt":209,"guid":210,"modified":212,"modified_gmt":213,"slug":214,"status":13,"type":14,"link":215,"title":216,"content":218,"excerpt":220,"author":23,"featured_media":222,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":223,"categories":224,"tags":227,"project_category":242,"contact_email_category":244,"yst_prominent_words":245,"class_list":252,"better_featured_image":271,"acf":305,"yoast_meta":312,"_links":315},"2018-08-29T07:00:56","2018-08-29T05:00:56",{"rendered":211},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2022-03-08T14:11:01","2022-03-08T13:11:01","digital-health-in-rwanda","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fdigital-health-in-rwanda",{"rendered":217},"Rwanda And The Dreamers Of Digital Health in Africa: Wakanda Is Real",{"rendered":219,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Rwandans in remote villages are using an artificial intelligence-based algorithm on their mobile phones to get a diagnosis for their health problems, doctors in Kigali consult their colleagues in the Western Province about radiology cases through telemedicine, blood is delivered by Zipline’s medical drones, and a central electronic health records system ensures data is collected about health activities. Rwanda is a pioneer in digital health in Africa – a real Afrofuturistic embodiment of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imdb.com\u002Ftitle\u002Ftt1825683\u002F?ref_=nv_sr_1\">Black Panther\u003C\u002Fa>‘s Wakanda. Let’s see how and why that happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wakanda gets real in Rwanda\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Black Panther’s Wakanda with its gorgeous African landscapes, fierce waterfalls, peoples living in harmony and technological absoluteness represents a mighty utopian endpoint for many countries. How does healing look like in a high-tech paradise like Wakanda? When CIA agent Everett Ross was shot in the spine by one of the main villains, Klaue, the Wakandan team brought him back to the country after stabilizing him on the spot. In the tech lab, Shuri, sister of the king uses virtual reality coupled with rapid diagnostic imaging to diagnose Ross. He wakes up 24 hours later, and his wounds are healed. We can see how he stands up from a bed, where all medical data is contained around his head, and his state is constantly monitored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While the Rwandan economy isn’t based on the superstrong and powerful material, the vibranium, the technological advancement, especially in the area of creating a digital society backed up with digital health, sets it apart from its environment. Artificial intelligence, telemedicine, medical drones, health apps, and mobile solutions are bringing the country to the 21st century. And just as in Wakanda, they are combining high-tech with traditions. Let’s see in details, how it happens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FWakanda_Medical_Center_3-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21708\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FWakanda_Medical_Center_3-1.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FWakanda_Medical_Center_3-1-768x320.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FWakanda_Medical_Center_3-1-512x213.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>From community-based health insurance through broadband to digital health\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>After the devastating genocide 24 years ago, the Rwandans had to completely rebuild the entire country, including their healthcare system. The government has contributed immensely to this development; for example, expenditures on healthcare have increased from 3.2 percent in 1998 to 9.7 percent in 2008, and it did not stop there. \u003Cstrong>Major healthcare reforms have gone down throughout the years – starting from introducing the mandatory health insurance scheme from 2008 on. Ten years later, more than 90 percent of the population was already covered by community-based health insurance schemes.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>But that was just the beginning. Step by step, in line with the rapid technological development around the globe, Rwanda embraced digital technology on every level. Dr. Zuberi Muvunyi, Director General in the Clinical and Public Health Services Department, told The Medical Futurist that “\u003Cem>the Rwandan government has made smart health as one of the pillars of their information and communication technology (ICT) policy. ICT was really something that the government has put in front in general for the development of this country\u003C\u002Fem>.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCog369EUAAAxd0l.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21700\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCog369EUAAAxd0l.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCog369EUAAAxd0l-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCog369EUAAAxd0l-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCog369EUAAAxd0l-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The backbone of the digital society: broadband, cables, and phones\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Similar to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-the-hell-is-blockchain-what-does-it-mean-for-healthcare-and-pharma\">the Baltic country, Estonia\u003C\u002Fa>, Rwanda has aimed for digitalizing the nation in many areas. As a country with 12 million people and no significant natural resources, the leadership recognized that the service sector could mean the potential development path for Rwanda. They also identified the massive promise in the ICT sector very early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It all started with cables and broadband. The government \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.dr-hempel-network.com\u002Fhealth-policies-in-india\u002Fdigital-health-sector-in-rwanda\u002F\">already invested a hundred million dollars in building a bandwidth or fiber network infrastructure\u003C\u002Fa> over a 2,796-mile vast land. Dr. Zuberi says that \u003Cstrong>90 percent of the entire country is covered by 4G. Some are using even 5G, while fiber optic cables are covering almost the whole country.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>The mobile phone penetration is 75 percent, and smartphone penetration started to skyrocket in the last months\u003C\u002Fstrong>. “\u003Cem>When I first went to Rwanda two and a half years ago, every mobile phone shop had feature phones, and smartphones were on the bottom shelf. Now, what’s happening is every shelf is smartphones except for the bottom shelf because new and cheap handsets are flooding into African countries from places like China\u003C\u002Fem>”, explained Tracey McNeill, Chief Mobilisation Officer at \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.babylonhealth.com\u002F\">Babylon Health\u003C\u002Fa>, who has been CEO of babyl Rwanda and worked in the country for almost three years to establish their feature phone-based health service.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21682\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"869\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FSub-Saharan-Africa-Is-The-Worlds-Fastest-Growing-Mobile-Market-1.jpg\" alt=\"digital health in Africa\" class=\"wp-image-21682\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FSub-Saharan-Africa-Is-The-Worlds-Fastest-Growing-Mobile-Market-1.jpg 869w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FSub-Saharan-Africa-Is-The-Worlds-Fastest-Growing-Mobile-Market-1-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FSub-Saharan-Africa-Is-The-Worlds-Fastest-Growing-Mobile-Market-1-512x321.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Sub-Saharan Africa Is The Worlds Fastest Growing Mobile Market. Source: www.afridigest.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>A principal\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> factor of success: the digitally-savvy government\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>McNeill and Muvunyi both emphasized the decisive role that the government is playing in transforming the country apace towards a digital society – and shifting the entire healthcare system towards digital health. A great example was when Agnes Binagwaho, former Minister of Health held discussions on Twitter about the healthcare state of Rwanda using the #MinisterMondays hashtag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>What amazes me about countries like Rwanda is that they have strong, focused leadership and the government really wants to improve the lives of the average Rwandan\u003C\u002Fem>,\u003C\u002Fstrong>” noted McNeill. She also believes that for the sustainability of digital products such as babyl, it is essential to understand how it’s going to be paid for in advance – \u003Cem>and in most African countries, it’s either paid for by the patient in pocket expenses or by the government\u003C\u002Fem>, she said. Thus, the government could signify kind of a safety guard, while the general health insurance scheme means a basis for further development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Muvunyi explained that \u003Cstrong>Kigali was careful enough to make the digital transformation a step-by-step process in every area.\u003C\u002Fstrong> After having \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.biometricupdate.com\u002F201605\u002Frwanda-to-introduce-new-eid-card\">introduced the electronic ID in 2016\u003C\u002Fa>, and the electronic passport this year, the healthcare sector was not to stay behind. At first, Rwanda introduced electronic health records for HIV services in partnership with intergovernmental organizations, WHO, Global Fund, OCDC or the US Government. Then they expanded the EHR system to manage financial aspects, registration, consultation, clinical records, etc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Currently, they are using an e-LMIS for the management of medical supplies, lab management systems for logistics in laboratories and a rapid SMS system. Using the latter, the approximately \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhuman-resources-health.biomedcentral.com\u002Farticles\u002F10.1186\u002F1478-4491-12-71\">60,000 community health workers in the country\u003C\u002Fa> can report about any emergency to the Health Ministry in a short time. Muvunyi noted that \u003Cstrong>right now, they are integrating all the various systems together, and approximately within the next ten years, the Rwandan medical landscape will be completely transformed with a strong focus on digital health.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21683\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"483\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCommunity-Health-Workers-in-Rwanda.jpg\" alt=\"digital health in Africa\" class=\"wp-image-21683\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCommunity-Health-Workers-in-Rwanda.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCommunity-Health-Workers-in-Rwanda-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FCommunity-Health-Workers-in-Rwanda-512x284.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.millionssaved.cgdev.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Key\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> to innovation: partnerships and no overregulation\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Not only the step-by-step process, but \u003Cstrong>collaborations have also played a pivotal role in shaping the healthcare system in the African country. These collaborations do not just mean joint work with governments, NGOs or IGOs as mentioned before but also with companies such as Zipline or babyl.\u003C\u002Fstrong> “\u003Cem>Rwanda approached us: when we launched Babylon Health in the UK, the Rwandan ambassador to the UK came to our event and said this is exactly what we need in Rwanda. So he invited us to go to Rwanda and meet the Ministry of Health. And then the Ministry of ICT called us, and we decided in partnership with the government to set up our network in the country\u003C\u002Fem>”, explained McNeill. Currently, the feature-phone based health service has over 2 million users, and they have done 200,000 consultations for just under two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Also in 2016, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fmoney.cnn.com\u002F2016\u002F10\u002F13\u002Ftechnology\u002Frwanda-drone-hospital\u002F\">the Rwandan government teamed up with Zipline, a medical drone manufacturing company\u003C\u002Fa> to deliver medical supplies to five of its hospitals. The American start-up appeared earlier on the African market than in the US – as the government supported it and looser regulations allowed it. It was only after its Rwandan success that \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.theverge.com\u002F2016\u002F8\u002F2\u002F12350274\u002Fzipline-drone-delivery-us-launch-blood-medicine\">the White House reached out to Zipline\u003C\u002Fa> expressing interest in delivering medicine and blood to rural parts of the US. When The Medical Futurist asked Justin Hamilton, Zipline’s spokesperson, why the start-up first choose Rwanda, he mentioned two factors: “\u003Cem>On one hand due to the high medical needs, on the other hand, due to the low complexity of navigating the airspace – it is much less crowded and regulated as in the US\u003C\u002Fem>. “\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21680\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FZipline-Drones-To-Deliver-Blood-in-Rwanda.jpg\" alt=\"digital health in Africa\" class=\"wp-image-21680\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FZipline-Drones-To-Deliver-Blood-in-Rwanda.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FZipline-Drones-To-Deliver-Blood-in-Rwanda-768x507.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FZipline-Drones-To-Deliver-Blood-in-Rwanda-512x338.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.time.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Jointly shaped rules and easy start for businesses: a recipe for success \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, the lack of regulation can also pose challenges for companies eager to enter the Rwandan market. McNeill said that one of the biggest challenges for Babylon Health in the African country was working with the government because “\u003Cem>there was no regulatory framework and no standards for digital healthcare\u003C\u002Fem>.” As a result, they worked very closely with the Ministry of Health, and they developed the regulatory framework and standards together for a successful operation in Rwanda.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In spite of the challenges, \u003Cstrong>entrepreneurs and start-ups are flocking to Rwanda, so it is clear that they can get out benefits from co-shaped regulations. Muvunyi said that companies from India, Japan, Korea, so mainly Asians are knocking on Rwanda’s doors\u003C\u002Fstrong> – Europeans rarely do that, although the director general would welcome them, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It is far from rocket science to launch a business venture in Rwanda. Foreign nationals can easily obtain an entrepreneur visa for tech start-ups in a short time span, at no cost and online. More so, Rwanda is secure, and the corruption level is almost non-existent. In case of a healthcare company, the Rwandan Development Board is responsible for explaining the requirements, then companies have to state their compliance with the Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority, then register at the Ministry of Health. As everything could be done online, it shortens the process and lowers the costs as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21684\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FBabyl-Health-in-Rwanda.jpg\" alt=\"digital health in Africa\" class=\"wp-image-21684\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FBabyl-Health-in-Rwanda.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FBabyl-Health-in-Rwanda-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FBabyl-Health-in-Rwanda-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FBabyl-Health-in-Rwanda-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>babyl A.I. being demonstrated to The Minister of Health Dr. Diane Gashumba at the babyl office. Source: twitter.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Fight against doctor shortages: phone-based platform, telemedicine, drones\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>That’s the best recipe for attracting businesses: making it easy and smooth for innovative start-ups to operate. In countries like Rwanda, you genuinely need that when you have to fight against shortages of medical professionals and diseases such as malaria, HIV, respiratory infections or Hepatitis B and C.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Muvunyi mentioned that \u003Cstrong>they only have “\u003Cem>one doctor for more than 10,000 that is way above WHO recommendations. For nurses, maybe we have one nurse for 5,000, while the WHO recommendation is one for 3,000\u003C\u002Fem>.” He believes that telehealth solutions, phone-based platforms such as babyl, and medical drones mean a viable solution\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And not only are these companies present in the country, but they are also expanding and innovating with the full support of the Rwandan government. Zipline is deploying its second launching site, while babyl is working on its artificial intelligence solution for tablets used by community health workers. McNeill explained that they started to use A.I. in their call center as a method for triaging patients, while their final goal is to „\u003Cem>put an artificial intelligence doctor’s brain into the hands of community-based health workers\u003C\u002Fem>.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, telemedicine became a daily routine for doctors in Rwanda. Muvuny proudly explained how someone in the provincial hospital in the Western Province of Rwanda could send a CT scan to a hospital in Kigali, and in 5 minutes, could have a report back. Through videoconferences or online consultations, they can decide whether they operate the patient, if they put in more medical treatment, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The government has also \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fglobal-development\u002F2018\u002Fjan\u002F31\u002Frwanda-becomes-first-poor-country-to-provide-eye-care-for-all\">partnered with the organization Vision for a Nation (VFAN) to train more than 3,000 eye care nurses\u003C\u002Fa> based in 502 local health centers, prescribing glasses and referring those with serious eye problems to public clinics. Nurses have visited each of Rwanda’s 15,000 villages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21685\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FNurses-Learning-E-Skills.jpg\" alt=\"digital health in Africa\" class=\"wp-image-21685\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FNurses-Learning-E-Skills.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FNurses-Learning-E-Skills-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002FNurses-Learning-E-Skills-512x340.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.ideas4development.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>John Lennon and Rwanda as a beacon of digital health\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Muvunyi mentioned that countries from around the world are interested in the Rwandan experience. \u003Cstrong>Delegations from the Middle East, from Latin America or from other African nations come to Kigali and discuss best practices\u003C\u002Fstrong> and how to implement solutions in their own countries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Regarding the region, Kenya is particularly intrigued\u003C\u002Fstrong>. McNeill said that Babylon Health is also looking at the country as well as Nigeria, and they hope to roll out their services next year. “\u003Cem>Kenya is perfect timing for us at the moment because the government that was reelected has made healthcare one of the four key pillars of the next four years regarding an essential area for growth and investment\u003C\u002Fem>,” added McNeill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And what about the future of Rwanda? Muvunyi says that in two years, they plan to perform minimally invasive surgeries using artificial intelligence and robots in some hospitals. When looking further down the road, he sees a wholly transformed medical system within ten years. He said he likes to describe the situation with John Lennon’s song, Imagine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“\u003Cem>\u003Cstrong>Some people think that we are dreamers, but we are no longer dreamers, we are living it now with babyl, Zipline, and many other initiatives.\u003C\u002Fstrong> \u003Cstrong>We hope that many will join us to form a bigger community of dreamers in digital health\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003Cstrong>”, \u003C\u002Fstrong>he added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"rendered":221,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Rwandans in remote villages are using an artificial intelligence-based algorithm on their mobile phones to get a diagnosis for their health problems, doctors in Kigali consult their colleagues in the Western Province about radiology cases through telemedicine, blood is delivered by Zipline’s medical drones, and a central electronic health records system ensures data is collected about health activities. Rwanda is a pioneer in digital health in Africa – a real Afrofuturistic embodiment of Black Panther’s Wakanda. Let’s see how and why that happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",21698,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[225,226],521,800,[44,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238,37,239,240,241],323,1028,324,1029,406,1030,526,614,134,648,144,168,207,869,[243],952,[],[54,246,247,68,248,249,250,251,52],2987,3143,1617,1681,1707,1715,[253,14,72,73,74,75,76,254,255,89,256,257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,82,267,268,269,270],"post-21678","category-future-medicine","category-healthcare-policy","tag-mobile-app","tag-rwanda","tag-mobile-health","tag-development","tag-smartphone","tag-medical-drone","tag-africa","tag-drones","tag-ai","tag-government","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-chatbot","tag-digital-health","tag-regulation","project_category-policy-makers",{"id":222,"alt_text":272,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":94,"media_details":273,"post":149,"source_url":304},"Wakanda",{"width":274,"height":275,"file":276,"sizes":277,"image_meta":302},870,362,"2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng.png",{"medium":278,"large":282,"thumbnail":286,"medium_large":289,"large_old_512x213":290,"thumbnail_old_150x150":294,"medium_old_370x208":295,"medium_large_old_768x319":296,"large_old_512x213_old_512x213":300},{"file":279,"width":102,"height":103,"mime-type":280,"source_url":281},"1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-370x208.png","image\u002Fpng","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-370x208.png",{"file":283,"width":108,"height":284,"mime-type":280,"source_url":285},"1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-768x320.png",320,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-768x320.png",{"file":287,"width":113,"height":113,"mime-type":280,"source_url":288},"1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-150x150.png","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-150x150.png",{"file":283,"width":108,"height":284,"mime-type":280,"source_url":285},{"file":291,"width":123,"height":292,"mime-type":280,"source_url":293},"1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-512x213.png",213,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-512x213.png",{"file":287,"width":127,"height":127,"mime-type":280,"source_url":288},{"file":279,"width":129,"height":130,"mime-type":280,"source_url":281},{"file":297,"width":132,"height":298,"mime-type":280,"source_url":299},"1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-768x319.png","319","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng-768x319.png",{"file":291,"width":135,"height":301,"mime-type":280,"source_url":293},"213",{"aperture":138,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":138,"copyright":27,"focal_length":138,"iso":138,"shutter_speed":138,"title":27,"orientation":138,"keywords":303},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F08\u002F1_BIBhXSnnVXXPnlrb10h8Ng.png",{"related_posts":306,"related_posts_footer":309,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[307,148,308],20658,13395,[143,310,311],15467,14723,{"yoast_wpseo_title":313,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":314,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":215},"Wakanda Is Real: Digital Health In Africa - The Medical Futurist","Rwanda is a pioneer in digital health in Africa. The Medical Futurist explains in its analysis how and why that happened.",{"self":316,"collection":321,"about":323,"author":325,"replies":327,"version-history":330,"predecessor-version":334,"wp:featuredmedia":338,"wp:attachment":341,"wp:term":344,"curies":355},[317],{"href":318,"targetHints":319},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F21678",{"allow":320},[159],[322],{"href":162},[324],{"href":165},[326],{"embeddable":26,"href":168},[328],{"embeddable":26,"href":329},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=21678",[331],{"count":332,"href":333},25,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F21678\u002Frevisions",[335],{"id":336,"href":337},40415,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F21678\u002Frevisions\u002F40415",[339],{"embeddable":26,"href":340},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F21698",[342],{"href":343},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=21678",[345,347,349,351,353],{"taxonomy":188,"embeddable":26,"href":346},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=21678",{"taxonomy":191,"embeddable":26,"href":348},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=21678",{"taxonomy":194,"embeddable":26,"href":350},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=21678",{"taxonomy":197,"embeddable":26,"href":352},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=21678",{"taxonomy":200,"embeddable":26,"href":354},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=21678",[356],{"name":204,"href":205,"templated":26},[],1790254581326]