On January 9, the Ministry of Health of Argentina approved, through Resolution 21/2019, the National Telehealth Plan. This is an instrument to advance towards universal health coverage. Its implementation will be completed in 2024. The full text of the Plan can be accessed by clicking here.

The central objective of the plan is the development of a set of systems that allow health activities (such as consultation, education and care) to be carried out over significant geographical distances. To this end, the use of new information and communication technologies is essential. So far, only 500 nodes are part of the telehealth network, but all health institutions are expected to be progressively included thanks to this policy.

The regulation of telehealth is increasingly becoming a regional trend. The measure is being replicated in Peru, which only last week included 24 institutions in its National Telehealth Network. In Panama, the president of the National Assembly, Yanibel Ábrego (Cambio Democrático-opposition) introduced a bill to create an individual e-health record, which will apply to both public and private entities. The bill has already been submitted to the corresponding committee, and is to begin discussion in the coming weeks.