The strategic importance of telemedicine for the future of the National Health System was highlighted at the 1st Information Workshop on the National Telemedicine Network (NTN), which took place today.
The event brought together representatives of the political leadership of the Ministry of Health, public administration officials, health operators and technology providers, confirming the pivotal role that the PPP is expected to play in the digital transformation of health services.
As noted, the new network is not only a technological upgrade project, but a major intervention with a strong social footprint, which aims to ensure equal access to quality health services for all citizens, regardless of their geographical location, particularly strengthening the remote and island regions of the country.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Health, special emphasis was placed on drastically reducing unnecessary patient travel, decongesting the National Health System and strengthening Primary Health Care. At the same time, the role of the network in shielding doctors and nurses through advanced teleconsultation and tele-education services was highlighted.
The presentation of the expansion of the network throughout the country, through the development of new Doctor-Patient and Doctor-Consultant Telemedicine Stations, home monitoring systems, training centres and operational support infrastructure, was of particular interest. These new structures will significantly enhance the ability to provide immediate and reliable health services in remote and island areas.
The EDIT is a modern, human-centred multi-tool in the service of the National Health System, offering teleconsultation, telemonitoring, telepsychiatry and continuing education of health personnel, with the aim of improving the quality of health services and enhancing equal access for every citizen.
The EDIT is a flagship project of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence. It is implemented by the Information Society, with funding from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Fund and OTE as the contractor.
Deputy Minister of Health, Irene Agapidaki said: “The National Telemedicine Network is a flagship project for the digital transformation of Public Health, which is already changing the way health services are delivered in our country.
Today we have 305 patient-doctor stations and 35 consultant-doctor stations, which allow direct and equal access to medical care for citizens, even in the most remote areas of the country. At the same time, we are deploying Mobile Health Teams of the EHDH and some 3,000 home care systems, which bring health services closer to the citizen than ever before.
The cooperation we are developing with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for the creation of a single operational centre at Attica Hospital, which will unify telemedicine, Mobile Health Teams and field activities, decisively enhancing operational coordination and speed of response throughout the country, is of particular importance.
This new ecosystem, which includes the PPP, substantially enhances equal access to health services for all citizens, regardless of geographical location, decongests the National Health System and changes the overall model of care delivery.
This is a major reform that is already delivering results and laying the foundations for a more modern, more efficient and more humane health system.”
The CEO of the Information Society MAE, Stavros Asthenidis, said: “At the Information Society, we are particularly proud of the implementation of the EDIT because it is not just another digital infrastructure, but an essential step towards a fairer, more accessible and more modern healthcare system for all. It was designed and implemented to high technical and operational standards. It incorporates modern infrastructure, interoperability and data security and is delivered fully functional and ready to serve citizens and healthcare professionals across Greece.”
The great response of the participants and the fruitful dialogue that developed confirmed the dynamics and necessity of the project. The National Telemedicine Network continues its course, highlighting that technology must and can have a human face, as the main pillar of a fair, modern and digital health care for every Greek.
