Present and future of Spanish Military Telemedicine
Figure 2. Gartner’s Digital Health Hyper cycle. Available at: https://www.healthcare.digital/single-post/2019/01/12/The-Digital-Health-
Hype-Cycle-2019.
Figure 3. Exponential Disruption - Rob Nail, CEO, Singularity at
AAI16 by BootstrapLabs. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/
watch? v=SGBLcvAGWAM
Sanid. mil. 2020; 76 (3) 199
tions technology (5G), artificial intelligence systems to analyze
all the information sent, a complex and automatized organiza-tion
of the system of telemedicine, etc.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SPANISH MILITARY
TELEMEDICINE
The use of telemedicine in Spain started in the 1930s when
Military Medical Officers on Navy Ships used the radio to send
teleconsultations to the Navy Hospitals back in Spain that were
answered by the Emergency Physicians on duty, who gave remote
support with the means available at that time (radio)15.
In 1996, the «Gómez Ulla» Military Hospital Telemedicine
Unit was founded during Hospital Centennial Celebration (and
Tandberg Vision videoconference equipment was implemented).
It was immediately used in Operations (at that time in Former
Yugoslavia’s conflict) and, since then, has always been used in all
the Operations were Spain has deployed personnel.
PRESENT OF THE SPANISH MILITARY TELEMEDICINE
Overview16-18
Our main mission is remote health support to health pro-
fessionals or military personnel deployed in Operations19-21, and
remote22 or difficult-to-access locations23.
From the Reference Center at the Telemedicine Unit in the
Central Defense Hospital «Gómez Ulla» we give remote health
support to what we call «Remote Nodes» from the Army, Air
Force, Navy, Guardia Civil Navy Ships, Civilian Naval Hospi-
tals, Civilian Hospitals and NGO Hospitals.
Our main strength is to have all medical and surgical special-
ists of the hospital available to give remote support 24/7, which
contributes to the Hospital mission as a Role 4 for Operations.
As any other Hospital Unit/Department we perform other
tasks, apart from the clinical (remote) assistance, such as24:
• Training personnel using Telemedicine Equipment in the Op-erational
Theatre, connection for Clinical Sessions between