FIVE companies have been licensed to offer telemedicine services in Bahrain.
The move from the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) comes amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and aims to support digital healthcare systems in the country.
Telemedicine is the distribution of health-related services and information through telecommunications technologies.
It connects patients to healthcare services through interactive videos, remote monitoring or electronic consultations.
NHRA health facilities department head Dr Hessa Al Dosari said offering healthcare remotely was vital to ensure continuous care for patients during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Services in these licensed companies vary from specialised to general,” Dr Al Dosari said in a statement yesterday.
“All companies licensed to practise telemedicine services adhere to the requirements, the most important of which is that practitioners of the profession must be licensed by NHRA.
“All (NHRA) policies must be in place that clarifies the role of both the centre and the doctors affiliated to it, in addition to the rights and duties of the patient.
“Policies on how to deal with consultations and respond to complaints must be ensured.”
Dr Al Dosari added that the service provider must abide by professional ethics in treatment and in maintaining the confidentiality of patient details.
She said telemedicine was not applicable to restricted drugs.
The GDN reported in May that Bahrain’s first NHRA-licensed telemedicine service went online through Doctori.