eHealth solutions in Norway and Estonia shared with delegation from the Republic of Moldova
WHO
Key stakeholders in the establishment of a national eHealth strategy for the Republic of Moldova visited Norway and Estonia on 5-9 November 2012 to exchange knowledge on eHealth opportunities. The study tour was organized by the WHO Country Office in the Republic of Moldova in close partnership with the Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine (NST), in its capacity as WHO Collaborating Centre for Telemedicine and eHealth, and the Centre for Policy Studies "Praxis" in Estonia.
The tour supported the overall effort in the Republic of Moldova to develop an eHealth strategy as part of the Government's Strategic Programme for e-Transformation. Participants were also looking to find quick and practical eHealth solutions that could increase efficiency and quality of the provided health care and public health services. The objectives of the visits were:
- to exchange experience on the development and implementation of eHealth strategies within the framework of overall health care reforms;
- to examine feasible eHealth solutions at all levels of health services delivery;
- to explore mechanisms for financing eHealth services;
- to examine the governance and management structures used for eHealth.
The Moldovan delegation was led by Dr Alexandru Rosioru, head of the e-Transformation Service of the Ministry of Health, and comprised members of the task force created for development of the eHealth strategy, including representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies, National Health Insurance Company, Centre of Electronic Governance, as well as representatives of WHO and World Bank coordinating the technical assistance provided to the Ministry of Health in this area.
In Norway, the agenda included stops at the Ministry of Health and Care Services, Oslo University Hospital, Norwegian Directorate of Health, Norwegian Centre for Integrated Care and Telemedicine, Tromsø University Hospital and primary health care facilities in Tromsø. In Estonia, the group visited the Centre for Policy Studies "Praxis", E-Health Foundation in Tallinn, Estonian Health Insurance Fund and East Tallinn Central Hospital.
"Both Norway and Estonia are well known in the region for their progress in eHealth and we are thankful for the offered opportunity to exchange experience with these countries in this rapidly developing area," said Dr Rosioru, during the "Conclusions and evaluation" session organized at the Centre for Policy Studies "Praxis" on 9 November 2012. "This study tour has allowed us to identify jointly a series of practical eHealth solutions that might be feasible for the Republic of Moldova in short- and long-term perspectives. We hope to continue our fruitful collaboration with Norwegian and Estonian partners in putting those solutions in practice in the near future."
Development of eHealth strategy in the Republic of Moldova
Over the last decade, the Republic of Moldova has gained experience in eHealth, telemedicine and eLearning through pilot projects or short-term initiatives within one or more institutions. The recently introduced Strategic Programme for e-Transformation identified a need for increased governance in this area; and a multisectoral eHealth task force involving all relevant stakeholders was put in place to ensure that this process evolves from a plan on paper to a plan in action. Building on the basis laid in previous strategies and programmes, the task force is currently drafting the strategic document with support from local and external experts.
The current study visit was undertaken as part of a project on eHealth strategy development funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and coordinated by WHO. The study visit to Estonia was also co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia within the project "E-services in support of effective health care services for Moldovan citizens". Through its Collaborating Centre for Telemedicine and eHealth, WHO provides assistance in the process of strengthening governance in eHealth according to the needs of the Ministry of Health and it coordinates the efforts of all other external partners involved in this area.
