Document Type : Letter to Editor
Author
Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Abstract
Tele-nursing, defined as the delivery of nursing care and consultation through information and communication technologies, has emerged globally as a powerful tool to improve access, reduce costs, and enhance continuity of care, especially in geographically dispersed or resource-limited settings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2023 report, only 50% of low- and middle-income countries have a national telemedicine policy, and tele-nursing coverage remains below 20% in most of them (1). In Iran, despite having a young and tech-savvy population, tele-nursing adoption lags far behind high-income countries where adoption rates exceed 70%, such as in nations like South Korea and Estonia (2).
The magnitude of the problem is significant: Iran has a nurse-to-population ratio of only 1.8 per 1,000 (WHO recommends ≥3.5), and 30% of the population lives in rural or deprived areas with limited physical access to healthcare facilities. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically highlighted the potential of tele-nursing, yet post-pandemic momentum has been lost due to systemic barriers. This study is necessary to systematically identify these barriers across all health system building blocks and propose evidence-based, feasible solutions. The practical aim is to provide policymakers, nursing leaders, and international donors with an actionable roadmap to accelerate tele-nursing implementation in Iran by 2030, ultimately improving equity and quality of care for millions of underserved Iranians.
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