Telemedicine in Slovakia is no longer just a vision from the pandemic era: concrete services are emerging, along with initial reimbursements and legislative changes. We are still far from a nationwide system, but pilots and regional projects show where it makes sense to move quickly and professionally. Key factors will be evidence of patient benefit, data security, and realistic financing.
Where we stand today
The panelists agreed that there has been progress in recent years: the first reimbursements motivated by COVID have appeared, a definition of telemedicine has been incorporated into laws, and both technology and awareness in the field have advanced. However, no country has managed to roll out telemedicine nationwide “on the first try,” so a turnkey model from abroad cannot simply be copied.
The role of the state is to set fair and safe conditions—standards, data sharing, certification, clear reimbursement rules—and to oversee quality. At the same time, ethics and privacy must be considered: digital tools will process sensitive health data, and their use outside direct care must have clear boundaries.
What already works: from skin moles to the heart
The most visible example is the AIP Derm app covered for Dôvera policyholders. The patient photographs a skin lesion, the first evaluation is done by artificial intelligence, and a dermatologist confirms the conclusion: a recommendation, an e-prescription, or booking a clinic visit. The app has handled approximately 30,000 cases, identified 24 melanomas and 164 other skin cancers – it's an "end-to-end" service that does not disrupt the physician’s routine and addresses a specific problem.
Other pilots involve remote monitoring of patients with chronic heart failure or regional programs for cardiovascular patients in hard-to-reach areas. Telemedicine here brings not only health benefits but also organizational ones: the physician gets more frequent, higher-quality data without unnecessary patient trips. There is also potential in emergency medical services – for example, rapid ECG assessment using AI and immediate communication with the receiving hospital.
Barriers, security, and money
Telemedicine does not replace the physician; it improves access. A patient’s short-term “enthusiasm” for an app often wanes after 6 months, so tools must be linked to specialist intervention and broader behavior change. European guidelines are adopting them gradually (e.g., in heart failure), so it is necessary to build on clinical studies, not on impressions.
In financing, we should not promise quick savings: for some indications, telemedicine more often shifts costs over time and relieves hospitals rather than delivering immediate savings. Alongside reimbursement mechanisms, technological standards and certification are being rolled out to strengthen trust (including the new EU regulation on the cyber resilience of digital products). The panelists agreed that the best path is a combination: a clear strategic framework from the regulator and many small, well-measured pilots from the bottom up that practice will itself demand to be incorporated into the system.
