The public lecture entitled, ‘From euphoria to pragmatism: The experience and the potentials of eHealth in Asia’ was held at The Sri Lanka Medical Association on 14 September 2010.
The lecture was on eHealth, which is being adapted widely, from primary to tertiary healthcare in many countries.. Especially, using more appropriate and relevant technologies, such as mobile technologies in tele-health and health informatics.
Dr. Angelo Ramos, a physician by training and an expert in public health education and promotion began with a presentation on From Euphoria to Pragmatism: The experience and potentials of eHealth in Asia. He pointed out that a vast expanse of research on eHealth has been conducted in developed countries. He emphasized the benefits of eHealth and how governments and other stakeholders can help to improve it. (Click here for the full presentation)
A panel discussion on eHealth followed after Dr. Ramos lecture. The panelists were Dr. Vinya S. Ariyaratne, General Secretary of the Lanka Jatika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya, Sri Lanka, and member of the LIRNEasia Board; Prof. Gordon Gow, Associate Professor in Communication and Technology at the University of Alberta, Canada; Prof. Jayantha Weerasinghe, Professor and Consultant-Surgeon in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery affiliated with the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya,Sri Lanka, and Dr. Angelo Ramos. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Nuwan Waidyanatha, Project Director of LIRNEasia’s mHealth pilot project, ‘Evaluating a real-time bio-surveillance program (RTBP)’
Dr. Ariyaratne explained that Community empowering is an important aspect. Rural areas lack access to ICTs.
Prof. Weerasinghe pointed out that they are using remote learning for the best of Patients. Medical faculty and Engineering faculty of Saga in Japan helped develop a system which can be used to aid online interaction between medical specialists in Japan and local patients (joint consultation). (Click here for the abstract )
Taking RTBP as an example, Dr. Gow showed the audience how technology was expensive some years back how it will be available and more affordable in a few years. (click here for the presentation)
The discussion ended, emphasizing the necessity of public-private partnerships in aiding sustainability of future eHealth initiatives.
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