Doctors, nurses, psychologists, and psychiatrists will increasingly require multidisciplinary training that includes digital skills and more specific practical and clinical competencies. However, there is no widespread availability of specific courses and exams on the characteristics of telecare at the European level, which, in practice, is not taught during the ordinary academic degree course in medicine or nursing. Specialised training, when possible, is filled in later in a phase of working life that is already professionalized. This approach not only provides valuable training but also has the potential to significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve patient access to care. The BeEmTel Partnership strongly believes that by integrating telemedicine into degree curricula, medical schools can enhance learners' education by equipping them with essential competencies for patient care. This approach not only provides valuable training but also has the potential to significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve patient access to care. The pilot e-course proposed by the BeEmTel project seeks to fill this serious and educational gap.
The Beyond the Emergency. Telecare for Non-Communicable Diseases through Simulation Techniques- BeEmTel project was created as a response to the pandemic. Covid-19 revealed weaknesses in the health-care system, especially in connection with the care of fragile patients, and in the training system, which remains unable to tackle the important challenge of reforming the ways that patients are treated and monitored. By 2050 in Europe the proportion of older adults will be increased. Most Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) are deeply connected with aging. Given the main gaps highlighted in the G20 digital health report of December 2020, it was time to strengthen specialist training courses for additional skills so that NCD patients can be taken care of with telemedicine support at the European level. In such a challenging context, the BeEmTel Partnership is still convinced that there is an urgent need to promote strategies for improving teaching methods in the clinical practice, both face-to-face and remote.This is essential in order to meet the needs and continuous attention required by the most fragile subjects with NCDs as well as address the need for support by family members and caregivers.