According to the Federal Council of Medicine, telemedicine is “the practice of medicine mediated by technologies for the purposes of assistance, education, research, prevention of diseases and injuries, and health promotion”. This modality is here to stay and has spread rapidly during the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring safety and speed of care for both doctors and patients. It is estimated that telemedicine can solve more than 80% of medical problems remotely.

But while the country gains 40,000 doctors a year, a study by the Brazilian School of Medicine (EBRAMED) revealed that 75% of them don’t know how to provide care in this form or don’t feel prepared to do so. The survey interviewed more than 800 doctors in major cities such as São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, the Federal District and Santa Catarina.

The survey shows that investing in technology is not enough without proper training for professionals. In fact, connectivity is another bottleneck in the country, but even if you have adequate computers and a good internet connection, in the end, it’s the professional who will guarantee adequate service.

Similarly, it is not enough to define the criteria for telehealth, but it is necessary to observe and monitor how democratically the modality is distributed in order to reach more and more people. Therefore, for telemedicine to advance, investment must be made on both fronts: in infrastructure and in human capital, by hiring doctors with qualified training in telehealth and training those who are already working.