Mônica Bergamo: Brazilian Medical Association supports the decision of the Ministry of Health to release teleconsultations

The Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) endorsed this Monday (18) the decision of the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, to reissue the ordinance that allowed remote consultations and diagnoses in Brazil after the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic. The information was anticipated by the column.

In June 2018, the entity even asked for the revocation of a resolution by the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) to regulate distance care. At the time, the association claimed to be concerned about possible medical errors that could be made with the remote consultation.

The position was revised by the AMB, which now claims to defend the unrestricted right of patient accessibility to telemedicine. “The institution has a well-defined position in favor of the practice, and the positions of previous administrations, contrary to the activity, have already been totally overcome”, he says, in a note.

The president of AMB, César Eduardo Fernandes, says that the principles that govern medicine are the same in online and in person.

“The essence of telemedicine is to give people access to health care, especially those who do not have the possibility of face-to-face care. Medicine is one and it is important to emphasize that telemedicine is just a tool for its application”, says Fernandes.

In addition to supporting telemedicine, AMB defends what it calls territorial freedom for medical practice. According to the entity’s understanding, doctors should not be prevented from performing virtual care for patients located in other states. The association also asks that registration is not required in regional councils of medicine in other regions for care of this type.

To the column, Minister Marcelo Queiroga said that the release of the modality by the portfolio will even expand the practice of telemedicine in the country, providing teleconsultation, monitoring of treatments, diagnoses and the performance of radiology and cardiology procedures at a distance.

The practice has always caused controversy in Brazil. He told the column, however, that its effectiveness was proven during the Covid-19 epidemic.

In 2018, the CFM decided to revoke the rule that dealt with telemedicine after a high number of proposals sent to amend the resolution and “to the clamor of numerous medical entities, who ask for more time to analyze the document and also send their suggestions”.

The matter remained in a water bath, until Covid-19 demanded extreme isolation measures – and the adaptation of the medical area, which turned to technology to make teleconsultations and follow up with treatments for which the physical presence of the patient was not essential.

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​_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS and MANOELLA SMITH}