title: Telemedicine as an innovative model for rebuilding medical systems in developing countries through multipartnership collaboration: the case of Albania.
abstract: The U.S. Government and other developed nations provide billions of dollars annually in relief assistance to countries around the world. The long-term benefits of this aid, however, are often difficult to elucidate. The aim of this article is to present a model of a multipartnership collaboration among U.S. governmental, nongovernmental organizations, and academia to rebuild medical systems using telemedicine as a sustainable model of foreign aid. The International Virtual e-Hospital implemented the "initiate-build-operate-transfer" strategy to establish an effective telemedicine system in Albania that includes the National Telemedicine Center and 12 regional telemedicine centers. This nationwide telemedicine network has active clinical programs, virtual educational programs, and an electronic library that has substantially improved the access to care while advancing medical education. We propose that telemedicine is an optimal, sustainable, low-cost model for rebuilding medical systems of developing countries when implemented through a multipartnership approach.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.|2International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation, Oracle, Arizona.
authors.forename: Rifat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latifi
authors.affiliation: 2International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation, Oracle, Arizona.
authors.forename: Erion
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dasho
authors.affiliation: 3U.S. Agency for International Development, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Zhaneta
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shatri
authors.affiliation: 2International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation, Oracle, Arizona.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tilley
authors.affiliation: 2International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation, Oracle, Arizona.
authors.forename: Kalterina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Osmani
authors.affiliation: 4Family and Community Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Doarn
authors.affiliation: 2International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation, Oracle, Arizona.|5Trauma University Hospital, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Agron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dogjani
authors.affiliation: 5Trauma University Hospital, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Fatos
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olldashi
authors.affiliation: 3U.S. Agency for International Development, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Agim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koçiraj
authors.affiliation: 2International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation, Oracle, Arizona.
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Merrell
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D016730:Program Development; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Albania; International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation; U.S. Agency for International Development; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; e-health; electronic library; government; nongovernmental agencies; telemedicine; “initiate–build–operate–transfer” strategy