India: Doctors to go 24X7 with patients
Apollo healthcare and IT giant Cisco has entered into a telemedicine partnership to bring diagnostic and medical services within the reach of every individual through ICTs. This will allow doctors to stay in touch with patients 24x7, supported by a laptop, web camera and internet connection.
With a vision to help transform health care through information and communications technology (ICT), Apollo Hospitals, Asia’s largest health care provider, and IT giant Cisco entered into an alliance to bring diagnostic and medical services within the reach of every individual.
The purpose of the alliance is to create a platform whereby a significant proportion of patients in remote and rural locations of the country would profit from the advice of specialists and super-specialists in the cities and towns.
Speaking about the pact, Sangita Reddy, executive director , Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “At Apollo Hospitals, we constantly endeavour to introduce new models to help make quality health care accessible to the masses.
"The alliance with Cisco will revolutionise the delivery of health care in India. Cisco HealthPresence Extended Reach technology represents significant advances in technology and telecommunication techniques, effectively delivering health care 24x7 remotely.”
Focus of the alliance
The aim of the alliance is to connect the Apollo hospitals with the chain of clinics and other institutes through an efficient networking system by providing technological solutions, including software and other hardware systems.
Commenting on the tie-up Wim Elfrink, Chief globalisation officer and executive vice president, Cisco Services, stated, "We are excited to collaborate closely with Apollo Hospitals to create and showcase various healthcare solutions.
“Information and Communications Technologies play a vital role in improving access to, and providing an affordable and quality healthcare system especially to tier 1 and tier 2 communities. Backed by Apollo's expertise, I am confident we can transform how doctors practice medicine and how patients experience care - no matter where they are."
ICT solutions to transform healthcare in India
The alliance will transform healthcare in the country by making telemedicine universally available.
Doctors can be in touch and interact with patients on a laptop supported with an Internet connection.
Moreover, by using this technology in health care, a detailed "clinical examination" and review of all investigations will be possible with the option of recording the entire procedure.
As the first step, the Apollo Hospitals Group and the Apollo Telemedicine Foundation will begin by installing 60 'Desktop Solutions' based in remote clinics and hospitals where doctors shall offer medical advice to patients at any hour across the Apollo system.
Professor K. Ganapathy, President of Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation and President-elect of the Telemedicine Society of India, stated, "The latest technology provided by Cisco makes the work of a doctor more convenient.
"Earlier, the doctor would go in search of a telemedicine room, but the new technology provided by Cisco helps the doctor connect with patients on a laptop supported by an internet connection and web camera.”
He added, "Even miles apart, doctors can give medical supervision, conduct detailed clinical examination and interact with patients through web camera.
