Guideline of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology on Telemedicine in Cardiology – 2019

Presentation

In due time, the Brazilian Society of Cardiology decided to create a guideline on telemedicine applied to cardiology, also known as telecardiology. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), telemedicine is “The delivery of health care services, where distance is a critical factor, by all health care professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health care providers, all in the interests of advancing the health of individuals and their communities.” Such a seemingly simple and altruistic definition carries a wide range of potential implications at various levels, from an ethical point of view to a potential impact on clinical practice and outcomes. Hence, the importance of guidelines, organized by the medical community through scientific societies, in offering to all of those involved in the process a reference based, as much as possible, on expert opinion, current scientific evidence, and on respect for medical ethical and deontological values.

Considering that cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the 21st century in Brazil and worldwide, the opportunity to use instruments to allow more effective actions in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of these diseases paves the way to very relevant perspectives of better care for the populations and communities that we serve. At the same time, bioethical aspects and consequences should never be neglected, as they can (and should) undermine programs that, disguised as “medical,” fail to meet these ethical requirements. Therefore, regulated operating models based on guidelines organized by medical-scientific authorities are fundamental in striking a balance.

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