Telemedicine and mobile health apps in Belgium

16

Sep 2019

National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI) is currently developing a framework for the reimbursement of telemedicine and health apps (mHealth).

As part of action point 19 of the eHealth 2015-2018 Action Plan, INAMI launched an experimental project with SPF Public Health, the Federal Agency for Medicines and Medical Products (AFMPS) and the e-health platform: 24 projects were tested on how to integrate mHealth applications into a healthcare model.

The 24 projects enter into agreements with our Health Care Insurance Committee for funding. Experts from the organizations concerned will follow these projects for the duration of the agreement (6 months). This monitoring will be done on the basis of scientific clinical criteria and with particular attention to guarantees in terms of privacy and data security, the compatibility of applications and medical devices with other eHealth services, having the European CE label and scientific evidence of the use of applications.

Based on the results of this experimental project, INAMI has developed a validation pyramid to place mHealth in the Belgian healthcare model. The upper level of this validation pyramid (M3) concerns the reimbursement of mHealth applications. INAMI is developing the regulatory framework for these refunds.

INAMI is also planning a refund for teleconsultation and tele-expertise.

See the details in French here.

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