Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM) announced the launch of its new telemedicine project aimed to establish a fully functional telemedicine connection between a primary
health care facility in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), and AATM central office, Yerevan, Armenia. This project, endorsed by the Government of NKR and conducted in association with the Union of Information Technology Enterprises of Armenia (UITE) and telemedicine R&D company Symotec LLC, is the second initiative of this kind, after establishment and successful exploitation of the demonstrational telemedicine model within the framework of USAID-funded project titled "Capacity Building of the Armenian Association of Telemedicine to Result in Improved Primary Health Care Services in Armenia", in April-June, 2010.
The telemedicine system will consist of two PC-based stations (the referral station at a primary care unit in Stepanaker, the capital city of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, and the consult station at the AATM's central office in downtown Yerevan, equipped with simple video-conferencing devices and commercially available medical peripherals, connected via high-speed internet providing a minimum of 2 Mbps of bandwidth. The referral site will be equipped with a set of medical digital devices, including: 5-parameter vital sign monitor (BP, HR, SaO2, 3-lead ECG, and body temperature); digital stethoscope with Bluetooth connectivity (3M™ Littmann®) and tele-auscultation software (Zargis Cardioscan™); standard 10-MP, 10-optical zoom digital still camera; an ultrasound scanner with ultrasound digitizing and sharing software (by Symotec), and a digital ophthalmoscope. For telemedicine encounter management the system will utilize a dedicated server and database capabilities provided by the organizers.
The system will operate throughout one working week, from November, 29 to December 3, 2010. During this five-day program direct tele-consultations will be delivered in cardiology, dermatology, ophtalmology, and ultrasonography, and patients presenting to the referral site will be examined and consulted by leading specialists in Armenia.
This time, the pilot project is supposed to become the first step in a larger initiative of telehealth network establishment in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is planned to commence next year.
About Armenian Association of Telemedicine
Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM) is the leading non-governmental, non-profit organization in the country, dedicated specifically to promoting development of Telemedicine and eHealth. AATM has official partnership and collaboration agreements with: Ministry of Health of Republic of Armenia; International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH); American Telemedicine Association (ATA); Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE) of Armenia (professional association of Armenian ICT industry); Armenian Medical Association (ArMA); Microsoft-Armenia; Sourcio (IT company with eHealth experience); GNC Alfa (leading fiber-optic provider); and Symotec (telemedicine R&D company), among others.
For further information on the Association, its vision, mission and objectives, news, programs, and membership, please visit: http://www.armtelemed.org.