Upscaling a regional telecardiology service to a nationwide coverage and beyond

The experience of the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais

Bibliographic Data

ID21878490
AuthorsClara Rodrigues Alves Oliveira (0000-0002-9437-2344, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Gabriela Miana de Mattos Paixão (Departament of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil), Gabriela Paixão (0000-0003-1349-1745, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Vinicius Tostes Carvalho (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Paulo R Gomes (0000-0002-7949-1812, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Mayara Santos Mendes (0000-0001-5170-3564, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Maria Cristina Paixão (0000-0002-6276-9865, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Milena Soriano Marcolino (0000-0003-4278-3771, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Antonio Luiz Pinho Ribeiro (0000-0002-2740-0042, Departament of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil)
Year2025
Volume10
Issue1
Pagese016692
Publication date2025-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016692
PMID39828428
OpenAlexW4406593233
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited36

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally and in Brazil. The provision of quality healthcare faces challenges due to resource scarcity and unequal distribution, particularly affecting rural areas. Telehealth strategies have shown potential to address these challenges by improving access to specialised care. The Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais (TNMG) is a large-scale Brazilian public telehealth service, established in 2005 to provide telecardiology support to primary healthcare teams. Positive outcomes led to its expansion. Currently, the TNMG provides telecardiology support for 14 out of the 27 states and 1320 municipalities in Brazil, 72.1% of those with up to 20 000 inhabitants. Between 2006 and 2024, more than 9 million ECG reports were issued by the TNMG. Operational aspects include 24/7 availability, with elective ECG reports issued in a median of 41 min 30 s (Q1=6 min 44 s, Q3=1 h 32 min 24 s) and emergency reports in 47 s (Q1=22 s, Q3=1 min 55 s). Clinical alerts notify urgent conditions, facilitating timely interventions. Synchronous eConsults service support local primary care-based physicians, promoting collaborative care. TNMG’s telecardiology system has facilitated scientific and technological advancements, including machine learning applications for ECG interpretation and prognostic implications. International collaborations have expanded, with ongoing projects in Africa and partnerships with prestigious institutions worldwide. Future directions involve integrating artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms into the telecardiology service to improve efficiency and prioritise critical cases. AI offers promising opportunities for enhancing medical ECG reporting and sustaining the effectiveness of telehealth services

Business · Health care · Medical emergency · Political science · Psychological intervention · Public relations · Scarcity · Telehealth · Telemedicine · Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies · Healthcare Regulation · Medicine · Nursing · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation · Marketing

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