Telemedicine

Live Wire : Health Goes Digital  NORBERT REGO   TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2005 03:02:42 PM ]   Surf ‘N’ Earn -Sign Innow    Telemedicine Is One Of The Most Evolving Technologies In The Healthcare Delivery Space. India Was The First Country To Deploy Telemedicine Systems In Response To The Tsunami Crisis, When The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Brought The Three Hospitals In The Andaman And Nicobar Islands Into Its Network With Other Super-Speciality Hospitals.   It Has Plans To Connect All The Hospitals In The Country Over The Next Three To Four Years. Telemedicine Allows Healthcare Professionals To Use Connected Medical Devices In The Evaluation, Diagnosis And Treatment Of Patients In Other Locations. These Devices Are Enhanced Through The Use Of Telecommunications Technology, Network Computing And Videoconferencing Systems.   Specialised Application Software, Data Storage Devices, Database Management Software, And Medical Devices Capable Of Electronic Data Collection, Storage And Transmission Are All Key Components Of The Telemedicine Infrastructure.   Telemedicine Uses Two Methods To Transmit Images, Data And Sound – Either Live, Real-Time Transmission Where The Consulting Professional Participates In The Examination Of The Patient While Diagnostic Information Is Collected And Transmitted, Or Store And Forward Transmission, Where The Consulting Professional Reviews Data Asynchronous With Its Collection. Yugal Sharma, Country Manager, Polycom India, Which Provides Videoconferencing Solutions, Says,   “Telemedicine Can Help In Combating Tropical Diseases And Illnesses That Require Monitoring At Regular Intervals. For Countries With Limited Medical Expertise And Resources, Telecommunications Has The Potential To Provide A Solution To Some Of These Problems.”   Rabindranath Tagore International Institute Of Cardiac Sciences, Kolkata, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore, Hewlett Packard, ISRO And State Governments Of The Seven North-Eastern States Have Sponsored A Non-Profitable Telemedicine Project, Which Helps Diagnose, Advice, Treat And Follow-Up With A Remote Patient.   “As Of Now We Have 39 Telemedicine Centres And In The Last Three Years We Have Treated Over 16,400 Patients In India, Malaysia, Mauritius And Pakistan Entirely Free, Because Of The Asia Heart Foundation And Narayana Hrudayalaya Foundation, Who Are Involved In Our Activities,” Says Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya.   While Dr D Lavanian, Business Manager, Apollo Health Street Ltd, Apollo Hospitals Group, Hyderabad. Says, “The Technology Has A Great Potential For Growth As We Need To Take It To The 6,00,000-Plus Villages Of India.   It Is Used In Our 76 Centres In India And Abroad.” “We Have An Association With Harvard Medical International, Under Which We Have Access To The Knowledge Pool And Clinical Acumen Of The 17 Harvard Associated Hospitals In The World,” Says Vishal Bali, Vice-President, Wockhardt Hospitals-India, Which Also Has A Telemedicine Link With Many Medical Colleges.   Its ‘Heart Connect’ Is Linking The Wockhardt ICCU To The Iccus Which Do Not Have Access To Cardiologists And Cardiac Surgeons On A 24/7 Basis. Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, Has A Collaborative Program With US-Based Johns Hopkins International, To Impart Knowledge To The Medical Fraternity. Such Programs Involve Live Surgical Demos With International Participation. Recently, The Hospital Conducted A Live Workshop And Telecast Of Hip Resurfacing Surgery.