Telemedicine Society of Nepal (TMSoN) and Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN) have jointly hosted the first-ever Asia Telemedicine Symposium (ATS) and the 3rd National Telemedicine Workshop on 17-18 March 2023 at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal. The two-day event was held in conjunction with the 55th meeting of the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN55).
Telemedicine Society of Nepal (TMSoN) and Nepal Research and Education Network (NREN) have jointly hosted the first-ever Asia Telemedicine Symposium (ATS) and the 3rd National Telemedicine Workshop on 17-18 March 2023 at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal. The two-day event was held in conjunction with the 55th meeting of the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN55).
The ATS was initiated to promote the sharing of the latest advancements and best practices in telemedicine and digital health, as well as to foster a strong network of telemedicine providers in the Asia Pacific region. The ATS is held annually in various Asian countries, bringing together doctors and engineers who are crucial to the success of telemedicine. The international participants were mostly from Japan, China, Thailand, and India. The two-day event typically consists of a medical session and a technical session, with the program format tailored to the needs and priorities of the host country. Led by the Telemedicine Development Center of Asia (TEMDEC) at Kyushu University Hospital since 2002, the symposium has grown to reach multiple countries across the region, with a total of 15 symposiums held to date.
The theme of the 16th ATS and 3rd National Telemedicine Workshop was the role of nurses in telemedicine. The two-day long symposium and workshop was participated by more than ninety participants (virtual and physical), comprised of telemedicine providers, medical professionals, network engineers, students, researchers, government officials, health policymakers, etc. Nurses from the various hospitals were made their significant presence at both days of the event.
While the event was financially supported by Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA) and Nick Simons Institute (NSI), it was supported by a number of organizations including the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), WorldLink Communication, Internet Exchange of Nepal (npIX), Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN), etc.