# Tele-neurology in Latin America: digital solutions for a treatment gap

## TL;DR

Tele-neurology is helping improve access to neurological care in Latin America by using digital tools, but challenges like infrastructure and policy gaps remain.

## Contribution

The paper highlights how tele-neurology can be a long-term solution for health equity in Latin America if integrated into national health strategies.

## Key findings

- Tele-neurology initiatives like TeleEEG and telestroke networks have expanded neurological care in underserved regions.
- Challenges such as uneven digital infrastructure and regulatory gaps hinder the full potential of tele-neurology.
- Strategic investments in infrastructure, training, and policy are needed to scale tele-neurology effectively.

## Abstract

Neurological disorders remain a leading cause of disability across Latin America, yet access to specialist care is affected by important workforce shortages, geographic disparities, and under-resourced health systems. Tele-neurology has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate these barriers, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in rapid digital health adoption. This review article examines the development and implementation of tele-neurology initiatives across Latin America, with a focus on Ecuador; drawing on examples such as TeleEEG, telestroke networks, and Project ECHO, I illustrate how digital tools have expanded the reach of neurological services in underserved regions. Despite demonstrable benefits, challenges persist, including uneven digital infrastructure, regulatory gaps, and disparities in access. I argue that tele-neurology must be deliberately integrated into national public health strategies, not merely as a pandemic contingency but as a potential long-term solution for health equity, if done properly. Strategic investments in broadband access, clinician training, sustainable financing, and regional collaboration are essential to scale these innovations. When anchored in strong policy frameworks and aligned with global neurological health goals, tele-neurology could offer a path toward closing the treatment gap and advancing equitable neurological care throughout Latin America.