The Ministry of Public Health telemedicine network of Thailand.

Abstract

The concept of telemedicine is rather new in Thailand and initially, the introduction of telemedicine into the country was hampered by technological limitations. The problem was further aggravated by the inadequacy of telecommunications infrastructures in the rural areas. However, recent rapid advances in info-communications technology, together with the launch of Thailand's first communication satellite, THAICOM I in December 1993, have made it possible for health care to be delivered to remote areas of the country via telemedicine. This paper documents the experience of implementing Thailand's nationwide Telemedicine Network by the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), beginning with a pilot project in 1994 to the current system, launched in January 1998, that links the Information Technology Office of the MOPH and 19 hospitals with health facilities all over the country via satellite and computer networks.