title: [Virtual polyclinic--consultant health service for rural areas and islands].
abstract: The development of medical sciences and digital revolution in health care have made possible the creation of new models for hospital care and primary health care. Health care management usually does not follow all possible solutions of new computer technology. Croatian health system is based on large hospital centers in the mainland and small, poorly equipped remote medical units. The possibility of sharing medical information using telematic technologies brings all knowledge of the large, powerful hospital centers close to remote medical units. Working in a small, remote consultation office on the island Cres, the author A. M. became part of medical periphery far from the security of hospital on the mainland. After five years of the work on telemedicine projects for the islands, we have introduced a new medical practice concept of communication between remote medical units and clinical hospital centers in the mainland. The pilot project Virtual Polyclinic-Medical Consultation System for the Islands and Remote Areas is a good example of the possible new models in health care structure. Our experience indicates that organization of health care in remote areas depends not only on advanced technical solutions but also on team work and medical professionals.
authors.affiliation: Cres Internal Medicine Practice Office, Cres, Croatia. anamarija.margan@ri.htnet.hr
authors.forename: Anamarija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Margan
authors.forename: Nadan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rustemović
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loncarić
mesh_terms: D017523:Croatia; D020375:Education, Distance; D019114:Remote Consultation; D019035:Rural Health Services; D017216:Telemedicine