For more than 25 years, telemedicine and teleradiology specialist Peter "Pete" Killcommons has served as the CEO of Medweb, a medical software and device company that he founded in 1992. Peter Killcommons is a supporter of the International Virtual e-Hospital (IVeH) Foundation, which implemented telemedicine in Cabo Verde.
The Republic of Cabo Verde, also known as Cape Verde, has a population of 531,046 residents spread throughout its 10 main islands and small islets. Throughout Cabo Verde, 282 doctors and 87 nurses are providing patient care to its populace. Its hospitals have a capacity of only 1,081 beds. There are no schools that provide medical training in Cabo Verde.
This condition makes Cabo Verde a potential candidate for the implementation of the Integrated Telemedicine and e-Health Program (ITeHP). Using the donation from the Republic of Slovenia’s Ministry of Health, the IVeH Foundation collaborated with the political leaders of Cabo Verde in the implementation of the ITeHP. The first two phases of the program were implemented between 2012 and 2014.
Phases 1 and 2 of ITeHP have installed ten telemedicine centers in nine Cabo Verde islands. These telemedicine centers have the capability of handling teleconsulting and videoconferencing. They are equipped with integrated peripherals for clinical activities in the fields of telecardiology, teledermatology, teletrauma orthopedics, neurology, psychiatry, and many others. In 2015, these telemedicine centers have processed a total of 430 teleconsultations.
In mid-2016, the implementation of Phase 3 of ITeHP started with the installation of the eleventh telemedicine center in Porto Novo. Additionally, nine referral centers and two consulting hospitals were added to the network.
