Developing prison telemedicine systems: the Greek experience

Prison telemedicine systems operate in circumstances in which the provision of medical care is very expensive. In 1999 the Greek Ministry of Justice decided to use telemedicine to improve health services in the largest prison in Greece (Korydallos Prison, in Athens). The Nikea Hospital in Piraeus undertook to support the effort in order: to enable prison paramedics and guards to call for remote evaluation of inmates when the prison's doctors were off duty; to provide second opinions; and to allow screening and primary care coverage for inmates through teleconsultations with Nikea Hospital specialists. For 12 months following installation, intensive 'hands-on' training on the use of the system was offered to the staff of both the Korydallos Prison and the Nikea Hospital. In all, 400 physicians, nurses and paramedics were trained. Despite all this effort, there were serious operational problems related either to prison bureaucracy or to the inflexibility of the Greek national health system, which annulled the effectiveness of the prison telemedicine system. The experience suggests that prison telemedicine is a viable option if freed from bureaucratic and labour-related obstacles, and can improve the quality of care available to prisoners.