Chile is one of the countries in Latin America with the largest number of projects related to Digital Health.
Chile has had important telemedicine and telehealth projects for several years, promoted by universities and government agencies such as the National Center for Health Information Systems (CENS), the Telemedicine Unit of the University of Concepción or the Digital Hospital.
Erick Cortez, works as head of the ICT Management Department of the South Metropolitan Health Service of Chile, and in an interview with E-Health Reporter, he explained how Digital Health technologies have evolved in Chile.
In the interview, the Digital Health specialist commented that in Chile important advances have been made in digital technologies within the health system. He highlighted the use of Health Information Systems (SIS) and telemedicine, promoted during the pandemic.
He explained that there are also advances in Artificial Intelligence technologies and their application has reaped good results: “for the pre-diagnosis of diseases that are later confirmed by the specialist doctor and for the remote monitoring of patients with chronic health problems, through biometric devices, in addition to other advances in different areas and medical specialties”.
He also highlighted the importance of projects such as the Digital Hospital. Cortez explains that it is a strategy with great projection and that its implementation achieves a positive impact on the health of users. "The Digital Hospital continues to advance in different telemedicine strategies to improve access and opportunity for patient care, developing integrated models of reference and counter-reference with local networks, based on the offer of specialists it has", he commented.
However, the specialist recognized the lack of a long-term National Strategy for Digital Health, which is not a project for a government period, but rather has transversal support. However, he explained that the Ministry of Health is currently in the process of designing the new National Health Strategy 2021-2030.
Digital Health during the health emergency
The arrival of COVID-19 modified the plans of health authorities around the world, and in Chile, they chose to work with Digital Health to provide services and solutions to the population.
He explained one of the telemedicine projects that was launched during the pandemic: “we implemented and adapted the development of the Iquique Health Service, Monitor Esmeralda, for the comprehensive management of COVID cases, their samples and results at the level of the entire network, that is to say, of the 11 communes and the 6 hospitals with a single system which provides access to information for centralized and communal management”.
Finally, the specialist explained that “Digital Transformation is no longer an option, it is an obligation”.
