Virtual Hospital

Virtual Hospital is an international non-government organization that operates as part of Virtual Healthcare Limited. It uses telemedicine to deliver medical care to the developing world.

How Virtual Hospital Works

Virtual Hospital connects rural communities in the developing world with main county hospitals and hospitals in the West through Telemedicine. The process begins with e-clinics in rural areas collecting patients' medical information using computers or mobile phones. This information is then sent to a general medical practitioner (GP) at the Virtual Hospital (Hub). The GP at the Hub provides a diagnosis or refers the patient to the relevant Virtual Hospital Department, where specialist consultants from around the world are connected through the Internet.

Influence on Virtual Hospital

The work of Virtual Hospital is influenced by reports published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Telemedicine developments, American Telemedicine Association and the work of Zaidi et al. 2004 and Denis Gilhooly Principal Adviser in the United Nations.

According to WHO's report on 'Telemedicine - Opportunities and Developments in Member States', telemedicine has the potential to address challenges in providing accessible, cost-effective, and high-quality healthcare services. It overcomes geographical barriers and increases access to healthcare, particularly benefiting rural and underserved communities in developing countries.