Background: Many mental health conditions can be treated at relatively low cost using the tele-health. It also provides the opportunity for consultation with family members, teachers and other providers involved in the patientÂ’s care. Objective: The aim of this paper is to analyze resources in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for establish tele-health for people who have difficult access to psychological assistance. Methods: Authors place focus on mental health and support through the tele-mental health and working and developing a model for the professionals, both from mental health and social care in institutions for psychosocial and social support. Results and Discussion: Telemedicine in the Republic of Croatia has developed from an almost non-existent activity into a system that provides almost 34,000 services per year. The network of telemedicine centers in the Republic of Croatia covers 68 health care institutions and includes 139 active telemedicine centers. In Bosnia and Herzegovina there are 80 centers for mental health very well distributed across the country at the primary level of health care and with strong connections with hospitals, centers for social care, patient associations as well as with police and court. Centers for mental health are emerging as a leader in this field and as a logical starting point for the development of tele-health counselling system. Conclusion: In the future capacity building for tele-health is necessary. Application of tele health in the way of tele counseling could make healthcare system faster, safer, and better responding to the challenges.
Key words: e-health, telemedicine, tele-mental health, counselling.
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