Development and implementation of a statewide telemedicine/telehealth system in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors report the design, development, and implementation of a statewide telemedicine/telehealth public network for the Santa Catarina State Department of Health, in southern Brazil. The web-based system, built over open-source technology by researchers from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, integrates solutions for store-and-forward asynchronous telemedicine applications, web and videoconferencing, continuous education, and second formative opinion, based in case studies and evidence-based medicine consultation that incorporates online library support. These tools are applied at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels in the public health care chain, aiming to reduce costs of the system itself and improve health care services in remote areas of the state. After more than 5 years of implementation, health professionals' registration and use of the network exceeds 5,500, with more than 1,200,000 procedures accomplished through the system thus far. Service now covers an area representing almost 98% of the state with services provided in 287 cities, the majority of which are located from the state capital.