title: Governance and management of national telehealth programs in Asia.
abstract: Telehealth and telemedicine are increasingly becoming accepted practices in Asia, but challenges remain in deploying these services to the farthest areas of many developing countries. With the increasing popularity of universal health coverage, there is a resurgence in promoting telehealth services. But while telehealth that reaches the remotest part of a nation is the ideal endpoint, such goals are burdened by various constraints ranging from governance to funding to infrastructure and operational efficiency.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  enumerate the public funded national telehealth programs in Asia and determine the state of their governance and management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of literature, review of official program websites and request for information from key informants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While there are national telehealth programs already in operation in Asia, most experience challenges with governance and subsequently, with management and sustainability of operations. It is important to learn from successful programs that have built and maintained their services over time. An IT governance framework may assist countries to achieve success in offering telehealth and telemedicine to their citizens.
authors.affiliation: University of the Philippines Manila.
authors.forename: Alvin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcelo
authors.affiliation: Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Jai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ganesh
authors.affiliation: International Medical University, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Jai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.affiliation: Telemedicine Maharashtra India.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Kadam
authors.affiliation: Telemedicine Society of India.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Ratta
authors.affiliation: Suwasariya, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Gumindu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kulatunga
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: Directorate Ancillary and Health Facility, Ministry of Health Indonesia.
authors.forename: Andry
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.affiliation: Center of Data & Information, Ministry of Health Indonesia.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Primadi
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health Maldives.
authors.forename: Athika Abdul Sattar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: GIZ Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Muhammad Abdul Hannan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Abul Alam
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Azad
authors.affiliation: University of the Philippines Manila.
authors.forename: Portia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcelo
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007857:Leadership; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*