International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation

“Improving Health Care in the Balkans Using Telemedicine, Advanced Technologies and Cultural Exchange Program as a Platform.”- funded by BECA of Department of State of the USA

The objectives

To visit all regional hospitals (Gjilan, Prizren, Gjakovë, Pejë and Mitrovicë) and UCCK to meet with the CEO and other leadership of the hospitals in order to:

1. See first hand the space and other human capacity commitment and other logistics of creating Regional Telemedicine Center (RTC);

2. Discuss the process of selection of participants, criteria for each of the three groups, that is telemedicine, trauma (MD) and trauma (RN);

3. Discuss the application process, public announcement, deadline for applications, contact numbers and emails where to turn for questions;

4. Discuss the media coverage of the press release that was issued last week and was broadly covered by local media here in Kosova;

5. Identify and sign agreement with Dr. Ismet Lecaj, coordinator, Flamur Bekteshi, Webmaster and technical coordinator, and Avni Spahiu, Public Relation.

October 16, 2006
Agenda

Regional Hospital in Peja 10.00 AM,
Meeting with Dr. Isa Kaliqani, Hospital Director,

Regional Hospital in Gjakova 12.00 AM,
Meeting with Dr. Samile Juniku, Hospital Director and
Dr. Zeq Kuqi, Medical Director

Regional Hospital in Prizren 2.00 PM
Meeting with Mr. Myzafer Kalanderi, Hospital Director and
Dr. Adem Bytyqi, Chief of Emergency Department,

VISIT TO PEJA HOSPITAL

Together with Dr. Ismet Lecaj, now the coordinator of this grant, we visited the Regional Hospital of Peja and met with CEO of the hospital, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Isa Kaliqani.  We discussed in detail all the above issues and then visited the Telemedicine Center of Peja with its electronic library. There we met with the engineer Ali Asllani, who runs the telemedicine center and coordinates all educational activities.

This is a very good example of development of Telemedicine Program of Kosova.  We met with another physician, Dr. Besa, physiatrist and rehabilitation doctor, together with Dr. Kaliqani. He discussed the program the next day at his morning staff meeting. The PowerPoint presentation of the program describing goals, objectives, description of the program and logistics was  given to each director and CEO of the hospital.

(L–R) Ali Aslani, Dr. Rifat Latifi, & Dr. Kaliqani in the Regional Telemedicine Center of Peja	Engineer Ali Aslani in the Telemedicine Center of Peja

VISIT TO REGIONAL HOSPITAL OF GJAKOVA

At noon, October 16, 2006, we visited the Regional Hospital of Gjakova, a near-700-bed hospital. We met with Dr. Samile Juniku, the Executive Director, and Dr. Zeq Kuqi, Medical Director.

The meeting was very productive, and they again committed 100% effort to the program, space, and human capacity. They already have a simpler version of electronic library and a person who maintains it.  During our visit we saw the room dedicated to the electronic library.  Doctors were utilizing the limited electronic library resources.

We discussed all the listed objectives and issues and visited the Emergency Room, where there were Emergency specialists on duties. Although mostly empty, the space looks good.  We officially identified the space for the telemedicine unit.

The PowerPoint presentation of the program describing goals, objectives, description of the program and logistics were given to the directors, who will share the details with the rest of the hospital staff.

Electronic Library at the Regional Hospital in Gjakova and  Drs. Zef Kuqi, Samile Juniku, Rifat Latifi and Ismet Lecaj discussing the IVeH program

VISIT TO PRIZREN REGIONAL HOSPITAL

The last meeting of the initial day was at the Regional Hospital of Prizren. This was the highlight of our day, as we saw one incredible hospital being built, funded by the Luxembourg Government.

We met with Myzafer Kalanderi, who is an economist and who runs the hospital.  He was energetic, enthusiastic, knew every corner of the new hospital, and appears to be incredibly bright and devoted. He is the perfect example of how the CEO of the hospital needs to be.

He is very excited about the telemedicine program and the education program that BECA has provide through KFMD.

We toured the new state-of-the-art building.  It was near completion and will be inaugurated within the next few months.

Its completion is crucial for the development of the telemedicine unit.

The Regional Hospital in Prizren will be replaced with a brand new building.

The Regional Hospital in Prizren will be replaced with a brand new building.	View from the Regional Hospital in Prizren

We met with Dr. Adem Bytyqi, Director of Emergency and Critical Care Unit (The hospital is in the process of putting together the ICU monitors, all centrally placed and coordinated by bio-medical engineers.  This hospital was the first one in Kosova with a office of bio-medical engineers. Clearly, Dr. Kalanderi and everyone developing this structure have vision, dedication, and a deep sense of community and pride. He is an example of excellence and leadership. The PowerPoint presentation of the program describing goals, objectives, description of the program and logistics were given to the director.

This hospital has ten computers and space dedicated to an electronic library.  We also identified the space for the telemedicine unit that will connect this hospital to the UCCK in Prishtina and beyond.

(L-R) Drs Adem Bytyqi, Myzafer Kalanderi, Rifat Latifi, and other medical staff of Regional Hospital of Prizren. The poster of the New Building that will be inaugurated in December 06.

VISIT TO REGIONAL HOSPITAL OF GJILAN

October 17 2006

Regional Hospital in Gjilan 11.00 AM,
Meeting with Dr. Ukshin Ismaili, Hospital Director,
Dr. Enver Myrtezi, Chief of Emergency Department

This meeting was very productive. We met with the Hospital Director who showed us the hospital, the operating room and the electronic library room.  The library had six computers in the room, but they had yet to be activated. In the operating room, we met two surgeons working on a complex ventral hernia.

Regional Hospital of Gjilan	Operating room at the regional hospital in Gjilan

They have a perfect place for e-library. There was a room full of students, nurses and other staff doing a continuous education program, funded by an NGO.

Electronic Library in Gjilan	Students utilizing e-library

After that we went to see the Emergency Department (ED) and met with Dr. Enver Myrtezi, chief of ED. They showed us the resuscitation room and we decided where the telemedicine equipment would be.

Drs. Ismet Lecaj, Ukshin Ismajli, Rifat Latifi and Enver Myrtezi, Rifat Latifi, and medical staff

SUMMARY FROM VISITS TO REGIONAL HOSPITALS

 

In all four hospitals, we informed hospital directors of the purpose of our visit and introduced Dr. Ismet Lecaj as KFMD Coordinator for Kosova.

In addition, we educated them about the structure of the participants of the program from regional hospital.  There will be two to three telemedicine candidates and two candidates for trauma and critical care group from each regional hospital. 

Dr. Latifi has provided each hospital director with electronic copy of detailed training program for both components and explained to them that the selection criteria for all the candidates are well defined and very strict. (See PowerPoint presentation)

Dr. Latifi explained that all interested candidates should write a letter of interest directly to the project director and need to have written support from hospital management.

An electronic copy of the Public Announcement letter with all clarifications required was provided to all regional hospitals.

In each these four regional hospitals, we visited emergency departments and identified the best places for connecting/placing telemedicine mobile units that are to be provided later on this year. In addition, we also looked at rooms/spaces for the electronic library, internet services and human resources. It was decided and agreed that technical team from Telemedicine Centre of Kosova would visit each hospital in the coming days to assess sites and make recommendations as to their best functionality.

All the directors confirmed, once more their full support and commitment to this excellent project.

October 18, 2006.

Dr. Ismail Dreshaj, MD, PhD, IVeH Board member, an alumnus of Medical Faculty of Prishtina, gave a lecture that was attended by more than 100 doctors, students and others. The lecture was broadcasted to the telemedicine center in Peja hospital. It was a perfect demonstration of education programs.

Dr. Ismail Dreshaj giving a lecture  at TCK that was  broadcasted to Peja live.

Participants at the Telemedicine Centre of Kosova

A number of former students from the Summer University 2004 have followed their interests in telemedicine and telehealth. One of them is a former student of Telemedicine Summer course; Dr. Ilirjana Bajraktari has continued her work on her PhD program at Graz University. She will work on a new project in application of telemedicine in neonatology.

Dr. Ilirjana Bajraktari