Telemedicine
The involvement with telemedicine began as part of a course at the Medical School of Athens and support for the
Naxos Health Center in the summer of 1994. This was followed by participation in the TALOS program at the Onassis
Cardiac Surgery Center in 1995. In the same year, the idea of telecardiology in ambulances was implemented,
coordinated by Associate Professor G. Papazachos and with Periklis Giovas as the primary researcher. The results
of this innovative program for Greece were presented at the “Telemed 97” international conference in London,
featured on the cover of the American magazine “Telemedicine Today,” and included in the review “Telemedicine
1998-99” by the Royal Society of Medicine, in the “M-Health” publication, and more.
He served as an eHealth consultant at "Papapostolou" (2002-2003).
From 2003 to 2009, he collaborated with the internationally awarded ("e-Inclusion Awards 2008") Telemedicine Unit
of “Sotiria” Hospital, focusing on using new technologies for managing chronic patients and applying intelligent
biomedical garments (wearables) for remote monitoring and rapid hospital discharge.
He participated in the national mission of the Ministry of Health at the ministerial-level “E-health 2005”
conference in Tromso, Norway.
In the same year, the book “Telemedicine in Practice” was published, serving as a university textbook for many
schools and vocational training institutes.
He also contributed to developing a system for providing home care through municipalities (ARI-Act project of the
Attica Region, 2004-2006) with the Sismanoglio Hospital as the reference institution.
Between 2009 and 2013, he designed an automated program for electronically managing home blood pressure
measurements, implemented under the aegis of the Hellenic Society for Hypertension Studies.
Since 2008, he has been delivering Talks on telemedicine at two postgraduate programs of the Medical School of
Athens, and during 2007-2008, he was a telemedicine instructor at the National Emergency Center Vocational
Institute (IEK EKAV).
A Few Words in Memory of Georgios Papazachos
Georgios Papazachos (1935-2001) was an Associate Professor of Cardiology at the 1st Propaedeutic Medical Clinic
of the University of Athens. As a professor, he filled the largest lecture halls at the Medical School thanks to
his remarkable methodology, unparalleled ability to communicate, and inexhaustible humor. After his Talks,
hundreds of students gave him standing ovations. His books remain reference texts to this day.
He was also a dedicated health professional, even in his private practice, serving patients in an exemplary
patient-centered manner.
Our paths crossed when a four-member student team approached him with the idea of transmitting
electrocardiograms from ambulances, at a time when mobile telephony in Greece was still in its infancy. The idea
was implemented—despite its complexity—and the results were presented internationally.
He was a mentor who generously offered us his experience, guidance, and trust. He was a visionary who equipped
us for our next steps in digital health.