In September, Albania’s Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, officially opened Albania’s National Telemedicine Center at the Mother Theresa University Hospital in Tirana.

Technology Boosts Healthcare in Rural Albania

Most of Albania’s public health facilities, particularly in rural areas, have limited medical equipment and chronic shortages of supplies and medicines, and personnel often have inadequate and outdated skills to treat patients.  Thus, over 1.6 million Albanians living in rural areas have limited access to adequate medical care and emergency treatment.  Around the world, governments and health institutions are utilizing the latest information and communication technology, through e-health and telemedicine programs, to reach rural communities. With U.S. support, Albania is building the foundations for a national telemedicine and e-Health network in that will directly address the issues of rural access, patient care, and medical education for health professionals.

In January 2011, USAID installed telemedicine and IT equipment to establish connectivity among five regional hospitals including the main university hospital in Tirana.  One of the regional hospitals, in Korca in southern Albania, is a five hour drive through three mountain passes, from Albania’s capital, Tirana.  Since the telemedicine center was established, Dr. Reitano Galica, the coordinator of e-health and telemedicine unit in Korca, has noticed the impact the technology is having on patient care.  “Because of the network and equipment, we are able to share patient information that can be viewed in real-time and discussed with specialists in Tirana,” said Dr. Galica.

In terms of medical education, the technology allows for direct video-conferencing and web-based “store-and-forward” lectures.  Dr. Mentor Petrela, the head of Neurology Department at the University Hospital in Tirana, is one of the most active users of the system.  Every two or three weeks, a network he established of neurologists and specialists from 11 telemedicine centers in both Albania and in Kosovo participate in specialized lectures using direct video-conferencing.  According to Dr. Petrela, the technology has allowed Albanian doctors the opportunity to build innovative education programs in a way not possible before and has enhanced peer-to-peer communication. 

The project is also supporting more formal education credentialing.  Since January, USAID has organized accredited distance learning programs for more than 800 health professionals who have earned more than 1,200 credits recognized by Albania’s Ministry of Health.

Another benefit of the program is that Albanian doctors are now able to utilize technology to conduct e-consultations with international hospitals and medical universities.  The project has facilitated partnerships with seven hospi-als, including three in the United States, i.e. the University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Virginia.  Albanian doctors are also using the network to establish their own partnerships.  Dr. Pal Xhumari and the hematology group at the University Hospi-tal in Tirana, conduct weekly e-consultations with counterparts at the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute to discuss diagnostic cases and patient care. 

Based on initial successes and doctors like Drs. Galica, Petrela, and Xhumari, USAID, in the coming year, will focus on raising awareness among health professionals of the benefits of using the network for professional education and clinical practice in rural Albania.