Before the pandemic, there were 250 daily consultations using telemedicine, now the number is around 15.000 daily visits.
Telemedicine has represented a balm for the health system in Peru. Since the beginning of the pandemic, they have offered through EsSalud and other agencies, medical care in various specialties, such as psychiatry, general medicine, oncology and care for the elderly.
In addition, telemedicine projects have been promoted around the country, as well as the equipping of telemedicine tools for health centers. On the other hand, in May, a legislative decree approved strengthening the reach of telehealth at the national level.
Recently, Cecilia Ma Cárdenas, general director of Telesalud, commented that, since the beginning of the pandemic, 120 times more virtual consultations have been carried out, since the services increased exponentially from 250 daily consultations to 15 thousand, throughout the country. “The services offered by Telesalud are freely accessible to the population and are offered free of charge,” said director of Telesalud.
Telehealth offers services to the entire population for free. Through the Teleatiendoweb platform, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) offers various types of health care:
- Remote orientation: In which the patient is assisted and guided by medical personnel for specific cases such as the use of a medical device at home. In this modality the professional does not prescribe any type of medicine.
- Teleconsultation: This modality is for those patients who have not used the services previously. Patients are cared for by a specialist doctor and can prescribe medications or medical tests or analyzes.
- Tele monitoring: In this modality, the professional monitors her patients. It is mainly focused on patients with chronic diseases since they may require changes in their treatments or new medical prescriptions.
- Telediagnosis by images: Through this modality, tomographies, mammograms, magnetic resonances or X-rays are interpreted, especially by radiologists in Lima.
These services are also offered through line 113 of the Minsa.
