On 14 March at 10:00 (CET), government officials from Greece and WHO experts will convene for the launch of the first-ever Telehealth Quality of Care Tool (TQoCT).
Developed by the WHO Office on Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens and the WHO/Europe Data and Digital Health unit, the TQoCT is a comprehensive resource which aims to raise awareness about quality telehealth practices, provide an evaluation framework for different aspects of care quality, and consolidate relevant policies and strategies at national, regional, or organizational levels. Ultimately, its purpose is to inspire reflection and action, guiding countries and health-care organizations towards delivering responsible, safe, and high-quality telehealth services.
Background
The use of telehealth in the WHO European Region has significantly increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Second WHO Symposium on the future of health systems in a digital era in the European Region, held in Portugal last year, underscored this trend, highlighting a rise in utilization, improvement, and interest in digital health.
Committed to quality improvement and guided by the “Regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030” and the “Global strategy on digital health 2020–2025”, WHO/Europe is prioritizing high-quality, innovative, safe, and equitable interventions in digital health, including telemedicine. In alignment with this mission, the Athens Office has been working since 2022 to develop the TQoCT.
Event details
This launch event is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the tool’s use and benefits, with a focus on placing quality of care at the center of discussions around telehealth.
The event will examine the quality of telehealth across the Region, highlighting WHO/Europe's ongoing efforts to maintain high standards in telehealth. Additionally, the event will underscore the importance of the tool amidst increased investments in digital health, exploring its functions and applications for ensuring quality telehealth services.
The event will be conducted in English and is open to the public, including telehealth developers, policy-makers, researchers, representatives of patient advocacy groups, and health-care practitioners. Please use the registration link if you are interested in taking part.
The TQoCT serves as the initial phase of a series of forthcoming initiatives dedicated to enhancing the quality of telehealth. Throughout 2024, the Athens Office will continue its efforts to bridge quality and telehealth through workshops, as well as leverage the WHO Knowledge Community platform to implement experts' recommendations on tackling challenges in quality of care and patient safety through telehealth.