SATELLITE INTERCONNECTION OF THE MILITARY HOSPITALS
(SIMIHO)

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In the framework of the SEDM Process, Greece proposed a program, named SIMIHO from the Satellite Interconnection of the Military Hospitals, to interconnect the military hospitals of the participating countries.

More specifically, the aim of the program is the interconnection of one military hospital of each SEDM country for the exercise of telemedicine and the exchange of medical information with the utilisation of a satellite connection. In addition to this inter-connection, the hospitals will have the ability to be connected with other more specialised medical centres and/or hospitals beyond the boundaries of the SEDM countries, provided that these utilize similar equipment.

It is very important that this program could contribute and conduce considerably the hospital of the SEDM country which will support SEEBRIG during its future operations.

The proposal was approved and ratified unanimously by the Ministers of Defence in their inaugural meeting in Thessalonica, Greece on 9 October 2000.

During this meeting the Ministers of Defence of the SEDM countries made a Joint Statement to support the SIMIHO Project.

As a result of the decision, a Working Group, named SIMIHO/Medical WG, was formed initially. The task of this WG was to examine the feasibility of the program, record the requirements for the implementation of it and to prepare recommendations for review by the Ministers of Defense.

The SIMIHO/Med WG convened on three different occasions during the 2000-2001 timeframe and found out that some SEDM countries maintain their own functional telemedicine network. Moreover they reported that the SIMIHO proposal for a Satellite-facilitated Interconnection of the Military Hospitals of the SEDM countries presents a valid, cost-effective, realistic and effective mean of serving the SIMIHO purpose which is also independent of ground texture or environmental associated issues. Their suggestion was to form a new Technical WG to investigate the market for commercially available compliant systems and then carry out procedures to acquire, install and maintain the system.

Following this, SEDM-CC formed a new Working Group, called SIMIHO/ Tech WG, whose task, according to the Terms of Reference (TOR) is:

a. To reconfirm SEDM Nations’ will to reinforce mutual bonds of co-operation within the SEDM countries, and acknowledge desire to participate in practicing of Telemedicine, Tele-consultation, Tele-diagnosis, Tele-training and optionally Tele-care, Tele-archiving and Tele-surgery through interconnection of the SEDM Nations’ Military Hospitals.

b. To draft and submit to the SEDM-CC for approval a draft MOU designed to establish the legal framework to install and operate a telemedicine/tele-consultation network to link the military hospitals of the SEDM countries.

c. To carry out procedures in order to access, evaluate and compare available commercial products conforming to requirements, as laid by SIMIHO/Med WG, in order to select (a) suitable system(s) ensuring complete interoperability among all hardware and software selected.

d. To supervise and co-ordinate purchase and installation of the system(s) obtained and to validate the systems obtained, so that their proper function is secured.

e. To establish mutually acceptable network operational policy.

f. To ensure that proper maintenance facility is readily available on both scheduled and emergency basis.

A written statement confirming the will of their country to reinforce mutual bonds of co-operation within the SEDM countries and acknowledging their country’s desire to participate in practicing of Telemedicine has been submitted to the WG by most of the nations.

A draft MOU has been prepared for the SEDM-CC but has not been finalized yet.

As a result of the evaluation and comparison of commercially available systems the WG has been informed about the US system, the Italian system currently in use, as well as other systems. Additionally, close contact has been established with other NATO Working Groups working on the same subject i.e. MIMS (Medical Information Management Systems) WG and the TMED (Telemedicine Panel) by exchanging useful information with them.

It has to be noted that from the 10 states that participate in the SEDM (AL, BU, CR, FYROM *, GR, IT, RO, SL, TU, US), only 7 will participate in the SIMIHO program. Albania, Croatia and recently the United States have withdrawn from the program for different reasons, despite their full agreement.

* Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.