Telemedicine software training in Dhankuta (Nepal)
eHealth and Telemedicine Unit of the B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) at Dharan, Nepal organized one day training on “Use of Telemedicine Software” at Dhankuta Hospital on 4th April 2015. The main aim of this training was to provide hands on and onsite training to the front line health care professionals working in the primary health care centers and district hospitals in the use of telemedicine software for tele consultation. Twenty three participants from various health centers from eastern region of Nepal attended the training program.
Prof (Dr) Narendra Bhatta ,Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at BPKIHS and the Focal Person of the e Health and Telemedicine at BPKIHS, in his opening address highlighted the importance of E health and telemedicine towards improving existing health-care systems and how the e health learning and telemedicine center at BPKIHS, is helping to provide an enabling environment for the growth of e-health in Nepal by building capacity through training programs and on-the-job training for health workers. He stated that this initiative is likely to play a vital role in the provision and delivery of health care in near future and will lead to transformative effect on the equity, efficiency and quality of health care.
Dr Pramender Prasad Gupta, Medical coordinator of the E health and Telemedicine Program at BPKIHS, provided the brief overview of the program and introduced the concepts of telemedicine to participants. He emphasized how this service can be utilized for providing faster and easy access to remote consultations and quicker access to emergency service. He also stressed that Mobile phones can be used to make e-health technologies more effective, by using text or voice message, patients can be reminded to take their medicines or attend medical care for follow ups.
Mr Rakesh Kumar Das and Mr Anish Bhatarai, Technical coordinators of the E health and Telemedicine Program at BPKIHS, provided the technical training in the use of telemedicine software “BOGOU”. Mr Rakesh Das explained about the process interactive clinical consultations and connecting health care providers at the rural center and specialist at tertiary care institutions. Mr Anish Bhattarai demonstrated the setting up of internet based application and software as well as technical configuration and operational protocols and how they can to best adapted to existing conditions of connectivity.
E Health and Telemedicine Unit of the B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) at Dharan is working in collaboration with the RAFT network-Geneva University and Geneva University Hospitals, e Health and telemedicine in the area of distance learning and telemedicine.