Asia
Frequently Asked Questions
(South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore)
Do you have relevant/specific legal regulations regarding telemedicine practice in your hospital/region/country?
South Korea: Illegal Only research using telemedicine could be used.
China: only allowed to use in “Internet Hospital”, specifically approved for telemedicine
Japan: Telemedicine is approved and covered by the Government.
Taiwan: There are specific relevant regulations.
Singapore: The Ministry of Health has provided educational material and case-based scenarios that instruct users on the principles of telemedicine (National Telemedicine Guidelines issued by MOH in 2015 and currently being revised).
Is there specific reimbursement for telemedicine services (fee for service) or it is included in your clinical care practice without any specific reimbursement? Any rules or recommendations regarding institutional preferences for time split between physical visits versus virtual?
South Korea: No specific reimbursement.
China: only in few approved “Internet Hospital” mostly public hospital.
Japan: There are fixed online medical consultations fee per visits.
Taiwan: There are no specific reimbursement fee for telemedicine. However, there are different payment methods in Telehealth services in University Hospitals.
Singapore: the neurological conditions are not under the allowed diseases approved and paid by the Governmment during the Covid period.
How do you use telemedicine? What actual methods - mainly telephone calls?, e mails, text messages, videoconferences? Any specific platform/software?
South Korea: Phone calls.
China: WeChat (which is similar to WhatsApp) with text message and videoconference
Japan: Phone calls and Ipads
Taiwan: Videoconferences and text messages. Platforms or softwares used depend on patient choices.
Singapore: Phone calls, emails, and text messages. For videoconferences: zoom with license provided by the Government.
The main difficulties or barriers to perform telemedicine? Technological limitations, patient rejection, lack of training how to conduct it. Privacy concerns?
South Korea: Lack of training
China: Insufficient insurance coverage, limited number of “Internet Hospital”.
Japan: The main limitation are the cost of devices. Other limitations include limited neurological exam, personal information.
Taiwan: The access to geriatric group of patients, and decreased interaction compared to face-to-face visits.
Singapore: technological limitations including slow bandwith and illiteracy in the geriatric population.
With the COVID-19, are neurologists/movement disorder specialists in your country/region using more telemedicine?, which kind? Has this crisis change anything in #1-4?
South Korea: Since Covid, review appointments are performed by telephone.
China: Increased number of online visits.
Japan: Online visits has increased
Taiwan: The government started providing care for some chronic conditions.
Singapore: Since Covid crisis, telemedicine need is growing with less bureaucracy.