First telemedical work-outs
appeared in Donetsk Region in 1970ies. It was telemetry of physiological
parameters for miners. Today telemedicine is basically developed as teleconsultations
and distant learning.
1999 in Donetsk State
Medical University we had started first ukrainian theoretical researches
and investigations in telemedicine. After a few months we had published
book “Introduction to Telemedicine” (full text russian version - http://www.telemed.org.ua/wwwtm_eng/TM/tmcomn.html).
During next three years
after this we studied the world experience of the use of telemedicine for
the health care service, elaborated and implemented our own systems, evaluated
the effectiveness of teleconsultations and analyzed the data.
On the 25th of January,
2000 we carried out our first teleconsultation: professor M. Nerlich from
Regensburg (Germany) consulted the patient with serious pelvis trauma from
Donetsk (Ukraine). Since that time we have done about 200 teleconsultations
in 15 medical specialtity.
In 2001 in Donetsk R&D
Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics was founded Department of Informatics
and Telemedicine – first special telemedical unit in Ukraine.
Our main achievments:
- development of theoretical
bases of telemedicine for Ukraine;
- ukrainian-russian telemedical
glossary;
- development of indicies
for teleconsultations;
- improvement teleconsultations
in daily clinical practice;
- 200 teleconsultations,
15 medical speciality, partnership with M.D.s and patients from 32 countries;
- special partnership
with Norwegian Telemedical Center, AFCEA (1999-2000), ISFT (2004), CAOS-India,
Med-E-Tel etc.
- creation of Internet
based system for distant education “TeleTrauma”;
- scientific investigation
and researches in theory of telemedicine, in using of teleconsultations
in treatment of polytrauma, joints diseases etc, economical and mathematical
problems of telemedicine, equipment testing, laws and ethics etc.
- dissertation “Treatment
of polytrauma on pre-hospital and in-hospital stages with using of the
telemedical systems”;
- web-design and content-managering
of www “Telemedicine in Ukraine” (www.telemed.org.ua);
- about 30 journals’
articles, 3 books (“Telemedicine: Glossary”, 2001, “Telemedicine”, 2002,
“Clinical Teleconsultations: Manual for Doctors”, 2003).
Nowdays there is no special
government program for development of telemedicine. First in Ukraine Health
Care Management of Donetsk Regional State Administration has program for
local implementation of telemedicine. This program consist from 3 stages:
- creation of telemedical
work stations and Internet channels, implementation of not-urgent teleconsultations,
stuff education;
- reforming of system
of emergency medicine, implementation of urgent teleconsultations;
- establishment of national
and international telemedical links and partnership, implementation of
distant education.
In 2003 we were founded
"Ukrainian
Journal of Telemedicine and Medical Telematics".
In 2004 was began creation
of the telemedical network of Donetsk Region. We hope that this network
should become the prototype for all country.
New project “TeleRehabilitation
(Distant Education+TeleConsultation)” was began in 2004. This project provided
by Donetsk R&D Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Donbass
Institute of Technics and Management and Donetsk State Medical University.
Main goal:
Distant education by
social specialities+teleconsultations+telerehabilitation for young disability
persons. English www will be available soon.
