DigitalGesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnZeitschriftenartikel
R. Istepanian, M. Kulhandjian, Georgi Chaltikyan
Mobile Health (mHealth) in the Developing World: Two Decades of Progress or Retrogression
Journal of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (JISfTeH), vol. 8, no. e24, pp. 1-5
2020
DOI: 10.29086/JISfTeH.8.e24
Abstract anzeigen
Mobile healthcare, or mHealth, is one of the key pillars of information and communication technologies for healthcare that consists of telemedicine, telehealth, eHealth, and mHealth. In the past two decades, mobile health has become a transformative concept for healthcare delivery innovations on a global scale. The success was based on the market-driven strategies that utilised the advances in mobile communications, computing, and sensor technologies, especially in recent years. Those market-driven mobile health systems were also closely associated with the global proliferation of smartphones, and based on the correlated usage principle of the smartphone applications for healthcare and wellbeing. However, the global commercial success of the smartphone-based mHealth model was not widely translated into successful scaled-up and tangible healthcare benefits, especially in low- and-middle income countries, compared to the consumer mobile health markets. The numerous healthcare challenges in the developing world remained largely untackled by the existing mobile health systems and models. The much-hyped transformative benefits of these systems remain largely unfulfilled. For two decades since the inception of this concept, the majority of the population in resource-limited healthcare settings still remain in poorer health and live in worsened conditions, with limited if any access to basic healthcare services. The much-hyped mobile health services that promised transforming these fragile and limited healthcare conditions, did not come to wider fruition globally. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its devastating human and economic impact worsened this status. An overview of the origin and the basic principles of mobile health, its current landscape and status in the developing world is presented. The impact of the smartphone-centric model that dominated the landscape of mobile health systems in these countries is discussed, and a critical view on the limitation of this mobile health model adopted widely in these settings is provided.
DigitalGesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnZeitschriftenartikel
Fara Fernandes, Georgi Chaltikyan
Analysis of Legal and Regulatory Frameworks in Digital Health: A Comparison of Guidelines and Approaches in the European Union and United States
Journal of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (JISfTeH), vol. 8, no. e11, pp. 1-13
2020
DOI: 10.29086/JISfTeH.8.e11
Abstract anzeigen
The advent of digital technology in healthcare presents opportunities for the improvement of healthcare systems around the world and the move towards value-based treatment. However, this move must be accompanied by strong legal and regulatory frameworks that will not only facilitate but encourage the good use of technology. The goal of the study was to assess the amenability and furtherance of regulatory frameworks in digital health by evaluating and comparing the processes, effectiveness and outcomes of these frameworks in the European Union and United States. Methods: This study incorporated two research methodologies. The first was a research of current legal and regulatory frameworks in digital health in the European Union and United States. A comprehensive online search for publications was carried out which included laws, regulations, policies, green papers, guidelines and recommendations. This research was complemented with interviews of five purposively sampled key informants in the legal and regulatory landscape. Results: Mind-maps revealed key features and challenges of the digital health field in the topics of the current state of regulation of digital health in the EU, Germany and US, regulatory pathways for digital health devices, protection and privacy of health data, mobile health validation, risk-based classification of medical devices, regulation of clinical decision support systems, telemedicine, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, reimbursement for digital health services and liability for digital health products. The experts expressed and explained key points where current regulation is deficient. The review of the legal frameworks revealed deficiencies which provide opportunities and recommendations to further develop and strengthen the regulatory landscape. Conclusions: A key element to a robust regulatory framework is the ability to ensure trust and confidence in using digital health technology. Technology must measure the impact on quality of life and burden of disease and not merely involve the collection of data.
GesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnVortrag
Georgi Chaltikyan
Digital Health Revolution: Has the Future of Medicine Arrived Yet?
Keynote
7th IEEE International Conference on e-Health and Bioengineering (EHB): Smarter technology for a better health, Iași, Romania
2019
DigitalGesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnBeitrag (Sammelband oder Tagungsband)
Georgi Chaltikyan, V. Buniatyan, H. Vardapetyan, A. Avoyan, V. Begoyan, S. Tiratsuyan, T. Saghatelyan, H. Mkrtchian, R. Aghgashyan, S. Shamakhyan, I. Buliev
Current State of Biomedical Engineering Education in Armenia and Perspectives of Development with TEMPUS IV BME-ENA Project
6th European Conference of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering, Cham, vol. 45
2015
ISBN: 978-3-319-11127-8
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-11128-5_252
DigitalGesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnZeitschriftenartikel
Georgi Chaltikyan, A. Avoyan, D. Gasparyan, R. Hovhannisyan, T. Saghatelyan, A. Haroyan
Outcomes of the First Armenian International Congress on Telemedicine and eHealth "ARMTELEMED: Road to the Future" (October 14-16, 2011; Yerevan, Armenia)
Telemedicine Journal and e-Health : The Official Journal of the American Telemedicine Association, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 400-402
2012
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2012.9993
DigitalGesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnBeitrag (Sammelband oder Tagungsband)
Georgi Chaltikyan, A. Avoyan, D. Gasparyan, R. Hovhannisyan, T. Hakobyan, K. Vardanyan
Progress in Preparations for Launching Telemedicine and eHealth Initiatives in Armenia: A Report on Recent Activities by the Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM)
Global Telemedicine and eHealth Updates: Knowledge Resources, vol. 3
2010
Abstract anzeigen
Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AAT M) is a non-governmental, non-pr ofit organization founded in De cember 2008 in Yerevan, Armenia. The mission of AATM is to promote development of Telemedicine and eHe alth field in Armenia, via cooperation with central and local governmental structures, assistance in Telemedicine and eHealth initiatives, cooperation with major local and international institutions, organiz ations and companies, and devel opment of educational activities. Sinc e 2009 AATM is a national mem ber from Armenia to the International Society for Telemedici ne and e Health (ISfTeH). In the past one year since its creation AATM established partnership with many local and international stakeholders in the field of Telemedici ne and eHe alth; performed extensive e valuation of the field and c onsultations needed to initiate relevant activities; presented its vi sion and stra tegy t o resp onsible go vernmental bodi es, a nd obtained their support for proposed activities; participated in a series of local and international scientific and working meetings; and outlined concepts of s everal s trategic long-term projects, to be developed i n detail, prepared, implemented, and monitored during a time period of five years. These include: Elaboration of Strategic Plan of Long-Term Development of eHealth Applications and Services in Armenia (eHealth Master Plan). The focus on eHealth development is driven by major challenges that health care systems ar ound the gl obe are facing. WHO has re commended all member states “to consider drawing up a long-term strategic plan for developing and implementi ng eHealth services in the various areas of health sector ”. To address the issue AATM establ ished a wor king group (eHealth Tas k F orce) with participation of government authorities, NGOs, academic and rese arch centers, ICTrepresentatives, and leading experts in the field, to develop and present to the government a strategic plan for eHealth (eHealth Master Plan). The Task Force has performed initial consultations with local and international experts, and started pre-assessment of the field, as well as adopted a working plan and schedule. In the forthcoming months the work will be continued to define necessary standards and requirements for implementing eHealth applications, and develop a template for the Plan. Establishment, Development & Maintenance of National Telemedicine Network in Armenia. Telemedicine in Armenia has potential to improve performance and cost-effectiveness of health care system, considering severe concentration of health care resources in the metropolitan areas and decreased availability of specialized care in the rural regions, as well as financial limitations. AATM proclaimed long-term goal to establish, develop, operate and maintain a comprehensive nation-wide telemedicine network connecting together all country’s health care facilities, as well as providing them with access to leading international health care institutions. As initial step in implementation of the above, AATM is launching a pilot telemedicine connection between a community primary care facility and consult site in Yerevan, to serve as a model for future telemedicine network. Two other strategic programs (Promotion of Home Telecare Services, and Development of Mobile eHealth Applications in Armenia) are currently at preliminary stage of establishing cooperation with interested stakeholders, designing methodology, and collecting necessary data.
DigitalGesundF: Europan Campus Rottal-InnBeitrag (Sammelband oder Tagungsband)
Georgi Chaltikyan, A. Avoyan, D. Gasparyan, R. Hovhannisyan
Development of Specialist Teleconsulting System for Primary Health Care in Armenia: A Pilot Telemedicine Project by the Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM)
Global Telemedicine and eHealth Updates: Knowledge Resources, vol. 3
2010
Abstract anzeigen
The project de scribes devel opment of a pi lot teleme dicine system for primary community health care in rural ar eas in Armenia. The purpose is to establi sh and operate a telemedi cine connecti on between a primary he alth care facility in remote rural locati on (“Referral Site”) and a health center in Yerevan (“Consult Site”), for provision o f tele-co nsulting services by s elected medic al and sur gical specialists in Yerevan. Armenia has relativel y de veloped prim ary health care network; however, shortage of specialist physicians in rural areas, as well as financial constraints frequently hamper maintaining appropriate quality of c are at co mmunity l evels. A s a res ult considerable number of patients from rural areas seek specialty health care in large urban centers, mostly in Yerevan, which is associated with significant direct and indirect costs, and frequently results in delays in diagnosis an d initiation of treatment. The projec t by Arme nian Association of Telemedicine (AATM) aims at deli vering spe cialty distant consultations to patients and primary care w orkers in remote locations via usage of Information and Com munication Technologies. The project will utili ze ex isting prima ry ca re fa cility, telecommunication link and commercial PC-based m edical s tations equipped with necessary hardware and software. The pilot telemedicine system will co nsist of o ne referra l statio n at a co mmunity prima ry health center, a nd one co nsult station at selected facility in Yerevan. The system will operate the following workflow: patient presents to the referral site; minimum nec essary data are collected by primar y care physicians with the aid of medic al peripheral de vices; data are transferred to the consult si te via high-speed Internet connection, both in real-time and store-and-forward formats; specialist reviews the data, and consults the patient an d primary care physician on diagnosis and management. During the pi lot period and upon c ompletion thereof, a series of systematic assessments will be conducted, evaluating project’s feasibility and impa ct on primary health ca re. Based o n ex perience with compar able projec ts in other c ountries, it is ex pected that the system will allow reducing by 60 -70% patients’ v isits to remo te specialists, allowing timel y dia gnosis, improving treatment outc omes, increasing patients ’ s atisfaction and c ommunity primar y he alth care workers’ educati on, reduci ng health care cos ts, and contributing to overall development of target rural community. Major partners in this project are Ministry of Heal th of Rep ublic of Armenia, USAID/Armenia – Primary Health Care Reform (PHCR) project, TMD Systems (US-based company producing telemedicine equipme nt and solutions), Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UIT E), Armenian Medical Ass ociation (Ar MA), and Sym otec (local telemedicine producer). AAT M has success fully complete d the background and preparatory stage of the project, and is ready to begin necessary installations to launch the connection.