2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
β’ INTRODUCTION TO TELEMEDICINE
β’ OBJECTIVES OF TELEMEDICINE
β’ RELEVANCE OF TELEMEDICINE
β’ BENEFITS
β’ MODEL
β’ PROCESS
β’ TELEMEDICINE PROJECTS IN WEST BENGAL
β’ COSULTATION
β’ CHALLENGES
3. TELEMEDICINE
The delivery of healthcare service, where distance is critical factor, by
all healthcare professionals using information and communication
technologies, for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research and
evaluation, and for the continuing education of healthcare providers,
all in the interest of advancing the health of individual and their
communities.
4. Use of information and communication technologies:
β’ To provide specialized health care consultation to patients in remote
locations
β’ To facilitate video-conferencing among health care experts for better
treatment & care
β’ To provide opportunities for continuing education of health care personnel
OBJECTIVES OF TELEMEDICINE
5. RELEVANCE OF TELEMEDICINE
β’ Inadequate infrastructure in rural/district hospitals
β’ Large number of indoor/outdoor patients requiring referral for specialized care
β’ Low-availability of Health Experts in district/remote hospitals
β’ Dearth of adequate opportunities for training or continuing Medical Education
for Doctors in Rural/Remote Health facilities.
6. BENEFITS OF TELEMEDICINE
BENEFITS TO PATIENTS:
β’ Access to specialized health care services to under-served rural, semi-urban and
remote areas,
β’ Access to expertise of Medical Specialists to a larger population without
physical referral,
β’ Reduced visits to specialty hospitals for long term follow-up care for the aged
and terminally ill patients.
β’ Reduced travel expense
β’ Reduced Physicianβs fee
7. BENEFITS TO PHYSICIANS:
β’ Improved diagnosis and better treatment management
β’ Access to computerized, comprehensive data (text, voice, images etc.) of
patients β offline as well as real time
β’ Quick and timely follow-up of patients discharged after palliative care
β’ Continuing education or training through video conferencing periodically
BENEFITS OF TELEMEDICINE
8. TELEMEDICINE : THE MODEL
β’ Patient under treatment
β’ Physician treating the patient
β’ A remote telemedicine console having audio
visual and data conferencing facilities
Nodal Hospital
Referral Hospital
β’ An expert / specialized doctor
β’ A central telemedicine server having audio
visual and data conferencing facility
9. SEQUENCE OF TELE-CONSULTATION
PATIENT IN
Patient visits OPD
Local Doctor checks up
Patient receives treatment
and is not referred to
telemedicine system
Patient referred to the Telemedicine system (some
special investigations may be suggested)
Patient visits Telemedicine data-entry console.
Operator enters patient record, data and images of test
results, appointment date is fixed for online
telemedicine session
OUT
OUT
Offline Data
transfer
from Nodal
Centre
10. Patient 1
Patient 2
Patient 3
Patient 4
.
.
.
Online video conference & tele-
consultation for patients between local
doctors at the nodal hospital and
specialist doctors at the referral hospital
Patient queue
IN OUT
SEQUENCE OF TELE-CONSULTATION
11. TELEMEDICINE IN WEST BENGAL
β’ Project Implementation by Webel ECS Ltd, Kolkata (Depβt of IT, Govt. West
Bengal)
β’ Software development by CS & E Dept. IIT, Kharagpur
β’ Project sponsored & funded by the Depβt of IT, Min. of Communications &
IT, Govt. of India
β’ Implementation and usage of facilities by the Dept. of Health & FW, Govt.
of West Bengal
12. PROJECT β I :
β’ Referral Center : School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata
β’ Nodal Centers : Habra State General Hospital, 24th Parganas (North)
: MJN Hospital, Coochbehar
β’ Disease Types : Skin Related and Blood Related Diseases, Leprosy .
TELEMEDICINE IN WEST BENGAL
13. PROJECT β II :
β’ Referral Center : NRS Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata
: Burdwan Medical College & Hospital, Burdwan
β’ Nodal Centers : Purulia District Hospital, Purulia
: Suri District Hospital, Birbhum
: Baharampur District Hospital, Murshidabad
: Midnapur Medical College & Hospital, Midnapur
β’ Disciplines : Cardiology, Radiology, Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology,
Neurology, Dermatology etc.
TELEMEDICINE IN WEST BENGAL
14. PROJECT β III :
β’ Referral Center : : Calcutta Medical College, North Bengal Medical
College, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata
β’ Nodal Centers : Darjeeling, Raigunj & Tamluk District Hospitals
: Arambag Sub. Div. Hospital, Hoogly
β’ Disciplines : Cardiology, Radiology, Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology,
Neurology, Dermatology etc.
TELEMEDICINE IN WEST BENGAL
16. CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING
TELEMEDICINE
β’ Identification of a Suitable site and preparation of site for
Telemedicine facility.
β’ Synchronization of civil, electrical and equipment related works.
β’ Identification of a nodal officer (Other than Superintendent) for
coordinating Telemedicine activities in the hospital.
β’ Sensitization and repeated hands-on training of concerned Doctors,
Technicians and Nurses.
β’ Coordinating with referral centers to fix mutually convenient tele-
consultation sessions on a regular basis.
β’ Ensuring trouble free & smooth connectivity through WAN
(ISDN/Leased Line)
