Greece plans new telemedicine centres

The Government of Greece is planning to install telemedicine devices in rural and municipal medical centres of the country to provide valuable consulting services to upgrade the health services.

In a telemedicine programme organised by the Intermunicipal Health Services Network (IHSN), the Minister of Health Avramopoulos laid special emphasis on the importance of providing prevention services and pre-hospital healthcare at municipal level.

“Thanks to structures that already operate within the framework of the local authorities’ bodies,” he added.

The telemedicine programme, which was attended by more 20 remote municipalities in the country, was presented within the framework of the 4th Annual Panellenic Conference of the IHSN and the Local Authorities Social Solidarity Network held on April 11-12 at the Municipality of Argyroupoli, reports ePractice.

Avramopoulos also referred to new structures which are formed and have acquired the necessary operational institutional framework of the Ministry’s Bill on Primary Healthcare.

He further informed that the framework, already been implemented in collaboration with the municipal authorities, is an extensive plan of upgrading older hospital buildings for housing urban type medical centres, healthcare institutes and municipal services.

Private sponsoring should also be considered as a possible way to fund actions and initiatives on prevention and the promotion of public health when abiding to specific principles and rules.