Together We Stand

[ 114 ] The SATMED worldwide e-health platform roll-out Source: SES existing expertise from different sectors to enable synergies and an environment conducive to innovation. The system is a response to the current debate in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly SDG number three to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages — and the debates on the efficiency and effectiveness of the humanitarian system. Currently, the system is in its pilot phase and has been deployed to Sierra Leone, Benin and Bangladesh where it is operated by a network of local and international partners and is bringing its first promising results. There is broad consensus that over the next decade the use of e-health and telemedicine applications will increase considerably. With this in mind, SATMED aims to improve public health services in developing and emerging countries by providing context-specific technology and further devel- oping local capacities. More specifically, it provides the basis for three major elements of global health: human resources, infrastructure and interoperability. In terms of human resources, SATMED provides modern communication tools adapted to medical education and training. It helps connect medical doctors and personnel from developing countries to their colleagues in developed countries and facili- tates the dissemination of qualified medical knowledge. Access to medical care for improving prevention, early diagnosis and the follow-up of treatable acute and chronic diseases can be improved. SATMED also facilitates access to IT infrastructure world- wide, including remote areas. Infrastructure components include electronic patient records and picture archives, as well as communications systems. The cloud computing prin- ciple permits a fully scalable use of the infrastructure, from small isolated health-care facilities to larger hospitals, hospital chains or national medical networks. Finally, SATMED is a multilayer platform that enables the integration and interoperability of different e-health tools. The platform is a success thanks to the partnership between the Luxembourg Government and SES, but also because of the involvement and medical expertise of international and local health-care providers such as governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and medical insti- tutes. They all work together and create synergies through the advantages provided by the platform. At the end of the roll-out phase, SATMED’s future role will be fine-tuned and defined. The Luxembourg Government is pursu- ing a two-pronged strategy: firstly, the system should be scalable so that more beneficiaries can use its services, and secondly, it should become financially sustainable over time, through the participation of a wide range of private and public partners. T ogether W e S tand