Telemedicine: also has a positive impact on the environment

Over there telemedicine is a modality of remote healthcare which has existed for several years, but which came to the fore during the acute phase of COVID-19 where it was no longer possible to hold medical consultations in attendance.

According to the definition of the Ministry of Healthtelemedicine is “Providing health services, through the use of innovative technologies, in particular information and communication technologies (ICT), in situations where the health professional and the patient (or two professionals) are not in the same location“.

There are three benefits associated with this practice: greater continuity of care, equal access for patients and economic savings for the health service and citizens. However, there is a fourth advantage associated with:surroundings.

A study conducted in six hospitals in three regions ofAltem (High School of Economics and Management of Health Systems of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) analyzed 872 teleconsultations where in 85% of the cases the patient he did not live in the same municipality as the health center providing the service.

Not traveling between home and hospital, an average of 140 km round trip, resulted in a reduction of about 10 tons carbon dioxide. In addition, the study found a saving of 1452 hours for travel and another 654 for waiting, resulting in a economic saving of about 69,000 euros. If you multiply by millions of people, these numbers assume: considerable size.

The use of telemedicine, according to an estimate ofDigital Innovation in Health Observatory of the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milanojust over 10%, whereas then, in the acute phase of the pandemic, it was over 30% for many uses.