This study assessed a public insurance-based telemedicine system in rural Hungary, where 12 Mobile Healthcare Service Centers provided general and specialist care to over 21,000 residents, resulting in the diagnosis of new hypertension and diabetes cases and high patient and doctor satisfaction. The intervention reduced referral rates by 10%, conducted thousands of screenings and chronic care visits, and demonstrated broad utilization of telemedicine in underserved areas. However, the monthly operational cost of $250,000 exceeded national primary healthcare funding, indicating financial challenges for wider implementation, with further research needed on long-term impacts.
