Abstract: Telemedicine (TM) allows health professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in remote locations using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) thus enabling healthcare access and equity. However, the process of digitalisation strongly depends on local contexts. With the ultimate aim of planning an accreditation path for TM services, the Regional Health Direction of Piedmont conducted, in 2017, an investigation through a questionnaire to the local Health Units, which explored several domains as defined by the national guidelines. This survey returned a picture of the implementation status of TM services over the regional territories. The results show that a rich experience exists in Piedmont, however the maturity levels of the different services are wide-ranging, suggesting that central governance is needed to ensure a solid framework for appropriate and sustainable services and to make their integration feasible in the regional Health System.

Per approfondimenti è disponibile il paper a cura di IRES Piemonte presentato alla 5th International Conference of the CIST "Population, Time, Territories" dal titolo "Can Telemedicine be Effective in Responding to Local Health Needs? Lights and Shadows from the Picture of Piedmont".