TY  - JOUR
AU  - Focsa, Mircea Adrian
AU  - Rotaru, Virgil
AU  - Andronic, Octavian
AU  - Marginean, Marius
AU  - Florescu, Sorin
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/5/14
TI  - Bridging Gaps in Telemedicine Education in Romania to Support Future Health Care: Scoping Review
JO  - JMIR Med Educ
SP  - e66458
VL  - 11
KW  - telemedicine
KW  - digital health
KW  - healthcare education
KW  - micro-credentials
KW  - scoping review
KW  - health education
KW  - Romania
KW  - future healthcare
KW  - telehealth
KW  - healthcare providers
KW  - technologies
KW  - digital literacy
KW  - healthcare system
KW  - quality care
AB  - Background: Telemedicine is a key element of modern health care, providing remote medical consultations and bridging the gap between patients and health care providers. Despite legislative advancements and pilot programs, the integration of telemedicine education in Romania remains limited. Addressing these educational gaps is essential for preparing current and future medical professionals to effectively use telemedicine technologies. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the current state of telemedicine education for medical professionals in Romania, focusing on the integration of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities into medical curricula, identifying the challenges and opportunities, and providing recommendations for improving telemedicine education. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Peer-reviewed articles from 2019 to 2023 were identified using databases such as PubMed and Scopus. Additional gray literature was reviewed to provide a comprehensive understanding of telemedicine education in Romania. Data were thematically analyzed to extract key findings and recommendations. Results: The review identified significant progress in the legislative and infrastructural aspects of telemedicine in Romania, but highlighted gaps in integrating telemedicine education into curricula for medical professionals and other health care practitioners directly involved in telemedicine practices. While some universities have included telemedicine components, dedicated telemedicine courses and hands-on training remain insufficient. Barriers include a lack of infrastructure, digital literacy, and practical exposure to telemedicine technologies. Conclusions: For telemedicine to be effectively integrated into Romania’s health care system, medical education must be adapted to include comprehensive telemedicine training. Recommendations include enhancing digital literacy, fostering public-private partnerships, and incorporating telemedicine into undergraduate and continuous professional education programs. These efforts are essential for improving healthcare access and quality through telemedicine. 
SN  - 2369-3762
UR  - https://mededu.jmir.org/2025/1/e66458
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/66458
DO  - 10.2196/66458
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/66458
ER  -