Karnataka to approve telemedicine & online healthcare
The Karnataka government is aggressively working to formally approve the use of telemedicine and online healthcare to give a thrust to improved and efficient access to medical attention.
The Karnataka Medical Council led by Dr H Veerabhadrappa too has asked the medical fraternity in the state to give its views to implement the same in a time bound manner.
At the recently concluded first-ever meeting of the State Vision Group on healthcare research and innovation formed by the state government, under Karnataka’s deputy chief minister C. N. Ashwath Narayan, it was highlighted that in order to offset the access of radiologists, telemedicine was the way forward.
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Convenience to access healthcare anywhere at anytime was possible only with online healthcare. The pervasive digital technology has laid the foundation for online healthcare access.
Dr Devi Prasad Shetty who chaired the meeting discussed the importance of telemedicine and online healthcare which is not legal as of now.
“By legalising it Karnataka and Bengaluru which is a hub of healthcare providers in the country could be a pioneer for the same. With the usage of smart technologies and innovations it should be made ethical.”
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Hand held devices
In an age of virtual healthcare, which is on a growth trajectory, the healthcare sector has seen the use of hand held devices to monitor blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, ECG and diabetes at home.
This has a positive impact on healthcare services as several diseases and disorders including hyper tension, COPD, skin conditions and seasonal driven fever-cold could be easily managed online.
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Patients with psychiatric problems
It was also brought to the fore that patients with psychiatric problems prefer online consultation as it provided the much-needed privacy.
The big advantage of online healthcare is that in a shorter time frame faster decision-making and more frequent engagement on medical conditions cane be managed.
Timely attention and no waiting
Timely attention and no waiting at clinics are now converted into consultations via a phone call or a video chat conference in real-time, said a panel of experts.
The healthcare providers are of the view that technology will bring in a paradigm shift in detection of diseases and maintaining the well being of the people of the country in the year 2020.
This spans the entire spectrum from adoption of artificial intelligence, big data analytics to mobile technology, 3D printing of organs and genetic testing.
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In the absence of home doctor visits which are seen to be far and few, services from Nightingale, Portea and Indian Home Health are seen to become popular.
With the acceptance of players like DocOnline, a Hyderabad-based telemedicine company, which partnered with Okira Health Care has provided not just convenience but has provided a viable option for health and medical consultations.
Practo Digital healthcare too ensures patients do not self-diagnose, or get worked up worrying about their illness till they see a doctor physically.
Paediatric care is now tipped to be among the fastest growing speciality in online consultation at 250% year-on-year growth.
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