Cortizo issues a law that creates a 'Tele-health System' in Panama
A law that creates the 'Tele-health System' in Panama, which aims to relieve hospitals using the doctor-patient modality through the use of technology, was sanctioned this Thursday, March 18, by the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo.
Cortizo stressed that he passed a "great law" that allows patients, especially those in "vulnerable areas" to be brought closer to health services, such as the 300 townships of the "Plan Colmena with multidimensional poverty."
He said that this type of initiative "is what the country needs in a pandemic" and congratulated Deputy Raúl Fernández, from the independent bench, who presented the project.
The President indicated that the sanction is a sign that “the Panamanian flag is above political partisanship. This is democracy”.
"I want to acknowledge Deputy Fernández, president of the Health Commission, Víctor Castillo, and the entire National Assembly for giving a favorable vote to this law," said the president at the ceremony held in the Yellow Room of the Presidency.
For his part, the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco, indicated that with this new law they ratify their commitment to progress in improving the quality of users of the health system.
"At this time the Covid forces us to use technology and it is time to evolve," said the minister.
In addition to the Minister of Health, the Minister Counselor for Health affairs, Eyra Ruiz; the director of the Social Security Fund, Enrique Lau Cortés and the deputies Raúl Fernández and Víctor Castillo.
The law indicates that the Central Government, through the entities it deems appropriate, will train all health personnel in the use of the technologies necessary to implement the provisions of this law. The training that this article deals with will be mandatory for all public officials who work in the health sector and if they do not comply with them, they will be administratively sanctioned by the respective institutions in which they work.
Within this new modality, the 'Tele-medicine System' is also created, as a component of tele-health, with the objective to facilitate access and improve the quality and efficiency of health services in any of its phases: promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and palliation.
This modality of provision of services can be offered and used by any health service provider, in any area of the national geography, in the services determined to enable said modality and category, as long as it complies with the regulations that regulate the matter.
He said that this type of initiative "is what the country needs in a pandemic" and congratulated Deputy Raúl Fernández, from the independent bench, who presented the project.
The President indicated that the sanction is a sign that “the Panamanian flag is above political partisanship. This is democracy”.
"I want to acknowledge Deputy Fernández, president of the Health Commission, Víctor Castillo, and the entire National Assembly for giving a favorable vote to this law," said the president at the ceremony held in the Yellow Room of the Presidency.
For his part, the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco, indicated that with this new law they ratify their commitment to progress in improving the quality of users of the health system.
"At this time the Covid forces us to use technology and it is time to evolve," said the minister.
In addition to the Minister of Health, the Minister Counselor for Health affairs, Eyra Ruiz; the director of the Social Security Fund, Enrique Lau Cortés and the deputies Raúl Fernández and Víctor Castillo.
The law indicates that the Central Government, through the entities it deems appropriate, will train all health personnel in the use of the technologies necessary to implement the provisions of this law. The training that this article deals with will be mandatory for all public officials who work in the health sector and if they do not comply with them, they will be administratively sanctioned by the respective institutions in which they work.
Within this new modality, the 'Tele-medicine System' is also created, as a component of tele-health, with the objective to facilitate access and improve the quality and efficiency of health services in any of its phases: promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and palliation.
This modality of provision of services can be offered and used by any health service provider, in any area of the national geography, in the services determined to enable said modality and category, as long as it complies with the regulations that regulate the matter.