Russia's full-scale invasion forced Ukraine's health system to find new ways to maintain access to health care where in-person visits became impossible or unsafe. Telemedicine, which had been developing slowly before 2022, quickly became one of the key tools for ensuring continuity of care.
Together with the USAID Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) and the Patients of Ukraine Charitable Foundation, we conducted the Landscape Assessment of Telemedicine in Ukraine. The assessment combined analysis of National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) data, surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews to answer three key questions: Who uses telemedicine? What barriers limit its development? And what actions could make it more accessible?
What did we learn?
Telemedicine proved to be particularly important for people most affected by the war, as well as for those who had faced barriers to accessing health care even before the full-scale invasion—including people living in rural areas, older adults, people with disabilities, and patients with chronic diseases.
Telemedicine was used most actively where it was needed most. Analysis of NHSU data showed that the highest share of telemedicine services was recorded in regions most heavily affected by the war.
Despite strong demand, significant barriers remain. These include an outdated regulatory framework, unclear financing mechanisms, limited public awareness, and gaps in technical infrastructure.
What comes next?
Based on the assessment, we developed recommendations to strengthen telemedicine in Ukraine—from updating regulations and financing mechanisms to improving interoperability between health information systems and expanding access for priority populations.
Telemedicine has already demonstrated its value under the most challenging circumstances. The next step is to make it an integral part of Ukraine's health system during recovery and beyond.
The full report, Landscape Assessment of Telemedicine in Ukraine (March 2023), was prepared within the USAID Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) in collaboration with the Patients of Ukraine Charitable Foundation and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center. Read the full report here.