International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation

His Excellence, Dr. Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia, meets with Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik

The President, Prof. Rifat Latifi, MD, FACS, and the Vice President, Doc. Dr. Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, MD, PhD, officially met with the President of Slovenia on May 7th, 2008, after the lecture at the EU e-Health 2008 conference in Portorož, THE e-HEALTH WITHOUT FRONTIERS. Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik reported on the conference program and recounted their experiences.

President Türk, on his recent official trip to South America, discussed telemedicine projects with the President of Peru, Alan Garcia, and the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. President Türk reported that his South American colleagues were impressed by the IVEH’s telemedicine work during the Amazon Swim expedition, and they expressed their enthusiastic support for the development of the telemedicine projects in the jungle of both countries.

In addition, Drs. Latifi and de Leonni discussed the development of telemedicine program in Slovenia. President reaffirmed his continued support for the IVEH’s Telemedicine projects in Slovenia and in other parts of the world as well as in the Western Balkans specifically.

As the IVEH is planning to organize a conference in telemedicine in Slovenia in October, 2008, we asked President Türk to become its patron, to which he graciously agreed.

Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Participate at the EU e-HEALTH WITHOUT FRONTIERS CONFERENCE

Vice President, Doc. Dr. Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, MD, PhD, and the President, Prof. Rifat Latifi, MD, FACS, of the International Virtual e-Hospital participated at the EU e-Health 2008 conference, THE e-HEALTH WITHOUT FRONTIERS, in Portorož, showcasing the lecture Telemedicine and Virtual Education Network in South Eastern Europe: Lessons from the Balkans

While at the conference Dr. de Leonni met with Mrs. Smiljana Voncina Slavec, BSc, Head of the IT Department at the Ministry of Health, Slovenia, in order to discuss partnering in the development of the integrated program in Telemedicine in Slovenia. Prof. Latifi met with Dr. Samo Fakin, MD, Director and CEO of the National Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, and his main adviser, Dr. Dorjan Marušič, MD, with whom they discussed the need for telemedicine infrastructure development in Slovenia. Furthermore, Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik met with several clinicians from Slovenia who are interested collaborating in the development of telemedicine projects there.

The e-Health 2008 conference: e-Health Without Frontiers – was held at the Grand Hotel Bernardin in Portorož, Slovenia, between May 6-7, 2008. It was the sixth in a series of high-level e-Health conferences that have taken place since 2003. This conference was a key date in the e-Health annual policy awareness-raising agenda in EU.

Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik were invited by the Ministry of Health, Slovenia, to participate as the experts in developing telemedicine and e-Health platforms in the developing world. Other attendees were among the highest level policy-makers and civil servants in the e-Health domain in Europe. They included senior industrialists as well as leaders of user-related health and technology-related groups and associations.

This was the first high-level e-Health and Telemedicine conference held in one of Europe’s new Member States which joined the EU in 2004. It permited the Slovenian presidency of the EU to showcase its country’s achievements in the e-Health field, and it facilitated a joining of ideas, minds, and activities around the e-Health theme.

‘Without frontiers’ in e-Health covered many exciting developments. These issues were embedded in both the conference plenary and parallel sessions. The conference format permitted attendees to tackle together this prospect in three targeted ways:

His Excellence, Ambassador Matjaž Šinkovec, MA, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, meets with Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik to discuss collaboration in international humanitarian projects

The President, Prof. Rifat Latifi, MD, FACS, and the Vice President, Doc. Dr. Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, MD, PhD, officially met with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia. The discussion involved presentation of IVEH's work in telemedicine around the world, and specifically as these relate to the humanitarian expeditions.

Secretary Šinkovec carefully listened to the described projects and expressed the Ministry’s interest to help and support such projects. Detailed logistics will be discussed in the future.

In addition, Drs. Latifi and de Leonni discussed the development of telemedicine program in Slovenia. Secretary Šinkovec expressed support for the IVEH’s Telemedicine projects in Slovenia and in other parts of the world as well as in the Western Balkans specifically.

As the IVEH is planning to organize a conference in telemedicine in Slovenia in October, 2008, we asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their official moral and financial support for this conference.

Drs. Latifi and de Leonni meet with the CIO of Mobitel, the largest wireless provider in Slovenia and SE Europe, in order to discuss collaboration in wireless telemedicine applications

Dr. Mitja Štular has been the CIO of the most successful mobile operator in the South Eastern Europe which recently extended its functions to Kosovo.

President, Prof. Rifat Latifi, MD, FACS, and the Vice President, Doc. Dr. Mateja de Leonni Stanonik, MD, PhD, officially met with Dr. Štular to discuss development of customized wireless applications for the telemedicine projects in general, not only in Slovenia.

Dr. Štular expressed his overwhelming interest and support in such collaborations, and extended his IT expertise to any ongoing work of the International Virtual Hospital in Slovenia. He firmly believes in expanding the horizons of e-Health and telemedicine without frontiers.

International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation to Start Telemedicine in Albania

The International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation (IVEH) is scaling up its involvement and leadership for the forthcoming Albania Telemedicine and e-Health Program (ATEHP). With funding and support from the USAID/Albania-funded program FORECAST, the IVEH team of telemedicine, e-health, and electronic library experts from telemedicine programs of Arizona, Kosova, Alaska, and California, led by Prof. Rifat Latifi, from the University of Arizona and director of the telemedicine program of Kosova, will conduct the initial technical assessment of hospitals of Albania in preparation for establishing state of the art telemedicine and e-health program. Last October, the IVEH completed the phase of telemedicine program of Kosova, by creating telemedicine, electronic library and virtual education networks in 6 regional hospitals of Kosova, in addition to the Telemedicine Center of Kosova, now in function since 2002.

This assessment will be conducted in the various levels of hospital resources including infrastructure, info-structure, human resources, and hospital policy and procedures. The objective of this assessment will be to provide all relevant stakeholders of the Health System of Albania, the necessary foundation in which ATEHP will be built upon. It is expected that the telemedicine program of Albania will have a National Center of Telemedicine and e-Health, as well as a network of 12 Regional Telemedicine and e-Health Centers, that will cover the entire country. In addition, the IVEH in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and regional hospitals leadership will choose approximately 70 doctors, nurses, administrators and IT personnel for intensive training and education in telemedicine and e-health.

The implementation of telemedicine in Albania follows the Second Intensive Balkan International Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar that was organized last October in Albania. The conference was honored by, H.E. Sali Berisha, the Prime Minister of Albania, who greeted the conference participants at the opening of the seminar, and offered full support of Albanian government to this initiative. The Ministry of Health of Albania has followed the process thoroughly and has continuously demonstrated the Albanian ownership on the process, which IVEH deems the most important of the achievements thus far.

The first phase of the present assessment effort will take place may 4-11, 2008 will involve the assessment of the physical infrastructure, the information structure, the policy, the procedures and the human resources of the Tirana University Hospital Center “Mother Therese”, the Central University Military Hospital and four regional hospitals – Durres, Lezha, Shkodra and Dibra. The second phase of the assessment will be conducted in June of 2008 during which time hospitals of Elbasan, Fier, Vlore, Berat, Korce, Lushnije, Gjirokaster and Kukes will be assessed.

The ultimate goal of the Albanian Telemedicine and e-Health Program will be the creation of an integrated modern telemedicine, e-health and educational network in Albania, as well as creation of country wide electronic medical library network. Creation of technical infrastructure and medical and technical leadership will provide a solid foundation for new changes in health care in Albania. This program will create new opportunities for partnerships of medical institutions and individual experts from Albania with many renowned institutions in the USA, Europe and other regions worldwide. It is expected that the implementation of this telemedicine program in Albania will improve the quality of care for the Albanian public, will reduce the cost of medical health care, and will reduce unnecessary patient-transfers from regional hospitals as well as unnecessary transfers of patients to international hospitals.

The telemedicine and e-health program Albania will be a collaborative effort of the US State Department, Albanian Government, IVEH Foundation, the University of Arizona, Department of Surgery and the Arizona Telemedicine Program. In its full development the program is designed to reach the level of local hospitals, polyclinics and Primary Health Care centers, thus making possible for each healthcare provider to have the support of the Albanian Telemedicine and e-Health Program and each Albanian citizen to enjoy the benefits of one of the most modern developments of present day medicine.

The Albanian Telemedicine and e-Health Program will be an integral component of the Healthcare Reform undertaken by the Government of Albania and the Albanian Ministry of Health. Upon completion, the Albanian Telemedicine and e-Health Program will be a part of the Albanian Healthcare System not different from similar programs in the developed countries of North America and Western Europe.

For more information on the forthcoming Albania Telemedicine and e-Health Program please visit www.iveh.org.

Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik return to Peru at the first Anniversary of Amazon Swim Expedition. This time, however, together with the Ambassador of Slovenia, Mr. Avgustin Vivod, they met with the Minister of Health of Peru, Hernán Garrido Lecca, in order to discuss the collaboration on Telemedicine projects between Peru, Slovenia, the International Virtual e-Hospital and Arizona Telemedicine Program of the University of Arizona. A Memorandum of Understanding to establish Telemedicine in Ucayali Region between International Virtual e-Hospital, Arizona Telemedicine Program and the Ministry of Health of Ucayali region of Peru was signed.

The directors of Amazon Virtual Medical Team, Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik that led the team of international experts that help Martin Strel during his Amazon Swim through telemedicine returned to Atalaya February 1, 2008 and visited Atalaya Hospital. They met with leaders of the Government of Ucayali Region, including the Ucayali’s President, dr. Velasquez Portocarrero, members of his cabinet, the Regional Minister of Health, Dr. Becerra, and all of the Medical Leaders of Pucallpa hospitals. On February 3, 2008 a Memorandum of Understanding to establish Telemedicine in Ucayali Region was signed between International Virtual e-Hospital, Arizona Telemedicine Program and the Ministry of Health of Ucayali region of Peru was signed in Pucallpa.

The most special was the return to Atalaya on February 1, 2008, exactly a year after Martin Strel started the swim of the mighty Amazon. The visit was coordinated with President Velasquez Portocarrero who promised full support in developing the Telemedicine projects to the doctors at the Atalaya hospital and IVEH.

As we walked through villages and witnessed the poverty and misery, we could not feel but embarrassed because we as human are not doing anything for these communities. As part of the Western world we have an obligation to help these people get proper health care and enjoy a life free of certain diseases as we do. The jungle is obviously beautiful and needs to be preserved, but in the process of preservation we cannot shield them from advanced technologies and good basic healthcare that most of the rest of the world enjoys in abundance.

We are hopeful that the relationships and support we forged with the officials in Peru, as well as representatives of the US and Slovene government will help us secure the necessary resources and finances to help the people along the Amazon River communities.

The Prime Mister of Albania, Professor Dr. Sail Berisha addressed the Second Intensive Balkan Telemedicine Seminar in Tirana

The Prime Mister of Albania, Professor Dr. Sail Berisha addressed the Second Intensive Balkan Telemedicine Seminar in Tirana. A cardiologist by training, the Prime Minister spoke very highly of the conference and offered full support of government of Albania to the development of Telemedicine and e-health in this country. The Prime Minister was joined by the Dr. Arben Ivanaj, Deputy Minister of Health of Albania, and other high ranking officials from the Albanian government.

Today the President and Vice President of the International Virtual e-Hospital (IVEH) were officially received by Dr. Janez Drnovšek, the President of Slovenia, at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Since Dr. Drnovšek served as the Honorary Chairman and Sponsor of the Second Balkan Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar, Drs. Latifi and de Leonni Stanonik reported to the President first hand on the conference program, progress, and achievements, and brought official regards from the Prime Minister of Albania, Dr. Berisha.

Dr. Drnovšek was pleased to hear about the conference success, and he reaffirmed his continued support for the IVEH’s Telemedicine projects around the world as well as in the Western Balkans specifically.

International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation Inaugurates Phase II Telemedicine Program of Kosova

His Excellence, Dr. Janez Drnovšek, President of Slovenija, becomes the Honorary Chairman and Sponsor of the Second Balkan Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar

The International Virtual e-Hospital (IVEH) is pleased to announce that His Excellence, Dr. Janez Drnovšek, President of Slovenija, has accepted the invitation to become the Honorary Chairman and Sponsor of the Second Balkan Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar that will be held October 21-23, 2007 in Tirana, Albania. This important telemedicine and e-health event is being organized by the International Virtual e-Hospital in collaborations with USAID/Albania and Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC/MRMC), Fort Detrick, Maryland (USA), and is supported by the US State Department’s Bureay of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The theme of the Second Intensive Balkan Telemedicine and e-Health Seminar is Current Principles and Practices of Telemedicine and e-Health.

Participants will be introduced to the most current principles and practices of telemedicine and e-Health by some of the most renowned speakers and experts on Telemedicine and e-Health from the universities, and representatives of international associations and other organizations of telemedicine and e-Health in the world. A special program will highlight the activities of the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC/MRMC) of a special session called “Military Telemedicine and e-Health: From Laboratory to Battlefield.”

Telemedicine is not a separate medical specialty. Telemedicine can be defined as the investigation, monitoring and management of patients, using systems, which allow ready access to expert advice (specialists) and to patient information, no matter where the patient or relevant information is located. This involves the transfer of medical information from one location to another. Increasingly, computer technology will allow much of the work currently being carried out in hospital, to be carried out in people's homes, in an effort not only to improve the efficiency and standards of patient care, but also to reduce its cost drastically. Telemedicine is just one of the many legs of information technology and e-health that are responsible for advancing medicine as we know it today. One of the most important elements is application of educational programs and should be an integral part of the telemedicine programs.

Rendering medical care to people in extreme conditions such as remote and mountainous sites, areas affected by natural or man made catastrophes, or simply in territories that do not have (access) to modern medical care is one of the best applications of telemedicine.

The Benefits of Telemedicine

Despite the initial costs of investing in the computer hardware, it is anticipated that there are considerable savings to be made in the long term, by decentralizing patient care and moving it from the hospital to the local or even the European or global community. Remote patients who would not otherwise have received prompt and efficient treatment can be dealt with easily, and medical data can be transferred instantaneously, saving time and energy. In short, Telemedicine improves the mobility of patient care, and assists the access to all kinds of medical information. The patient gets improved treatment, and scarce resources are used more efficiently, securing the reputation of Healthcare Telematics and e-Health as the future of medicine.

Just as the birth of the Internet ~ twenty years ago changed our lives, so will Telemedicine and e-Health change the way medicine is practiced globally in the next ten to twenty years.

The International Virtual e-Hospital is an organization that creates and establishes self-sustainable telemedicine and e-health programs around the world and helps in rebuilding medical systems in the developing world, one country at a time, using telemedicine, advanced technologies, and cultural exchanges and collaboration as a platform. The IVEH’s goal is to train and educate healthcare providers of developing countries in the use, adoption, practice, and implementation of telemedicine, e-health and electronic libraries in order to narrow the gap created by the digital divide and healthcare imbalance. Moreover, the International Virtual e-Hospital is committed to using advanced technologies and telemedicine to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality in the emerging democratic governance of developing countries.

The leadership of the International Virtual e-Hospital as well as the faculty and international organization representatives will be available to the media during the time of the conference from October 21 to 23, 2007, at the Sheraton Hotel.

Media representatives are welcome to join the conference in Tirana at the Sheraton Hotel.

In addition, you are invited to follow this conference virtually via the live webcast at www.iveh.org.

Further information on Telemedicine and the conference can be obtained at the addresses below, or coordinated through the Office of the President of Slovenija.

Improving Healthcare in the Balkans Using Telemedicine, Advanced Technologies and Cultural Exchange Programs as a Platform
Bureau of Education and Cultural Exchange Agency
Department of State, USA

First Kosovar Group finished training in the USA

The first Kosovar group of selected candidates for training in the USA in Telemedicine, e-health and electronic library within the project “Improving Health Care in the Balkans using Telemedicine, Advanced Technologies and Cultural Exchange Program as a Platform,” financed by the US State Department, successfully finished their training program in the USA and returned to Kosova after an intensive three-week training in Alaska and Tucson, Arizona.

The training was supervised by Dr. Rifat Latifi, surgeon at the University of Arizona Medical Center.

The 8-member group was composed of six specialist doctors (one from each regional hospital, one of the KCUC and Telemedicine Center of Kosova, and a local project coordinator).

The training lasted three weeks and took place in Anchorage, Alaska (one week), at Alaska Federal Healthcare Access Network Center, and Tucson, Arizona (two weeks), at the University of Arizona Medical Center.

The next three groups will also include selected candidates from Albania, Montenegro, and Macedonia.

REPORT ON GROUP ONE OF PARTICIPANTS March 2-25, 2007

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The training was supervised by Dr. Rifat Latifi, surgeon at the University of Arizona Medical Center.

The 8-member group was composed of six specialist doctors (one from each regional hospital, one of the KCUC and Telemedicine Center of Kosova, and a local project coordinator).

The next three groups will also include selected candidates from Albania, Montenegro, and Macedonia.

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First Two VitelNet Telemedicine Units Installed in Gjilan and Prizren Regional Hospitals

The first VitelNet telemedicine unit, with a donation from the US State Department through the International Virtual e-Hospital , was installed at the Gjilan Regional Hospital on 17th of January. A similar unit was installed in Prizren Regional Hospital on January 18th. Other unit installations will take place soon in other regional Hospitals in Kosova and in the Main Family Medicine Center in Skenderaj.

This is a major step in completion of the second phase of Telemedicine Program in Kosova.

In the frame of same project, the first group of candidates for training in USA in telemedicine, electronic virtual library and e-health have been selected and is scheduled to travel to USA on March 3. 2007.


Emergency Centre, Gjilan Regional Hospital	Emergency Centre, Prizren Regional Hospital

December 13, 2006

14 Candidates Selected in Kosova to attend training in the USA

The first fourteen student candidates were selected on Wednesday, Dec. 13th to attend training in the USA as part of the program on “Improving Health Care in the Balkans Using Telemedicine, Advanced Technologies and Cultural Exchange Program.” The program is funded by BECA of the Department of State of the USA. The selection took place at the Telemedicine Center of Kosova at the University Clinical Center. Candidates were interviewed by a panel composing of Dr. Rifat Latifi, Project Director and President of IVEH, Mrs. Kathe Boucha, Executive Director of IVEH, and Mr. Lawrence Corwin, Public Affairs Officer of the US Office in Prishtina.

The Kosova Foundation for Medical Development (KFMD), a non-profit organization in Anchorage, Alaska, is to implement a two-year project to use telemedicine, advanced technologies and cultural exchange as a platform to improve health care delivery in the Balkans.

Forty-four physicians, nurses, and technical professionals from Kosova, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania will travel to the United States for education and training in telemedicine, e-health, electronic library management, trauma and surgical critical care at the University of Arizona at Tucson and Anchorage, Alaska.

A long meeting with the staff at TCK commenced today. Details of the program and their obligation were discussed. Dr. Ismet Lecaj was announced as the Coordinator and Flamur Bekteshi as the Web Master and Technical Coordinator. Both will continue their work with TCK as previously. Avni Spahiu was elected as the Public Relations Officer for the program. He has already done a great job organizing the two interviews on TV and radio in Kosova.

The last day was spent meeting with physicians from the Family Medicine Center and discussing the possibilities of working together. Overall, this was very productive visit preparing the implementation of the program.

U.S. Department of State and International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation (former Kosova Foundation for Medical Development) to Improve Health Care in the Balkans Through Telemedicine, Advanced Technologies and Cultural Exchange

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State has awarded $850,000 to the International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation IVeH (former Kosova Foundation for Medical Development), a not-profit organization in Anchorage, Alaska, to implement a two-year project to use telemedicine, advanced technologies and cultural exchange as a platform to improve health care delivery in the Balkans. This massive educational undertaking will create the medical and technical leadership to significantly enhance health care access and quality in the region.

Through this educational curriculum and exchange program, fourty-four physicians, nurses, and technical professionals from Kosova, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania will travel to the United States for education and training in telemedicine, e-health, electronic library management, trauma and surgical critical care at the University of Arizona at Tucson and Anchorage, Alaska. A group of sixteen U.S. experts in these same medical disciplines will conduct workshops, seminars and other cultural and educational activities in the Kosova region. In addition to the educational programs, the project will expand the existing infrastructure for telemedicine and a virtual medical educational network of the Telemedicine Center of Kosova to six regional hospitals in Kosova. This network will include telemedicine units enabling live and direct medical consultations from regional hospital emergency rooms, as well as storing and forwarding telemedicine consultations. Each regional hospital is being equipped with ten computers for electronic medical library access with more than 1200 full-text medical journals available. Telemedicine and virtual education modalities will provide continuous medical education to ensure long-term sustainability of the projects benefits.

The project is led by Dr. Rifat Latifi, Professor of Surgery at University of Arizona, Tucson, an alumnus of Medical Faculty of the University of Prishtina, and the Project Director of the Telemedicine Program of Kosova. The major local project partner is the Telemedicine Center of Kosovo. This initiative is being conducted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the University Clinical Center of Kosova, the Medical Faculty and all regional hospitals in Kosovo.

Ministry of Health. Professor Latifi meets in a workshop with officials of the Ministry of Health. Dr Latifi, in the presence of Deputy Minister, presented the project of Advancement of Telemedicine and Training of Supporting staff to the Regional Health Managers. This project will be implemented with the support of the United Stated Department of State and the contributions of Dr. Rifat Latifi.

International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation

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The Benefits of Telemedicine