Telemedicine is the practice of providing distant medical aid. This material is intended for degree students, especially law graduates.

1. TELEMEDICINE
Prepared by
SUPARNA S. NAIR
Assistant Professor, Co-operative School of
Law, Thodupuzha

2. MEANING
• Telemedicine refers to the practice of caring for
patients remotely (using electronic information and
communication technologies) when the provider and
patient are not physically present with each other.
• A tool that makes healthcare more accessible, cost-
effective, and that increases patient engagement.
• One way to provide access to quality health care to
under-served rural & urban masses and under-
privileged population.
• Use of it is rapidly increasing.

3. TYPES OF TELEMEDICINE
1. Interactive telemedicine services
2. Specialist and primary care consultations
3. Store and forward telemedicine
4. Remote patient monitoring
5. Imaging services- teleradiology

4. TELEMEDICINE- ISRO
• Telemedicine is one of the unique applications
of Space Technology for societal benefit.
• ISRO Telemedicine programme started in 2001
has been connecting remote/rural/medical
college hospitals and Mobile Units through
the Indian satellites to major specialty
hospitals in cities and towns.

5. BENEFIT OS TELEMEDICINE
• Window to expertise care
• Economical for hospital and patient
• Reduce stress in patient and relatives
• Save travel time of specialist and patient
• Reaching to more patients
• Good for education and research purpose
• Better for rural group
• Doctors licensed to practice all over India

6. BARRIERS TO USING TELEMEDICINE
• Poor infrastructure and inadequate regulation
of telecommunications.
• Cost for services
• Policies/protocols regulating the use of
telemedicine
• License regulation for practicing telemedicine
• Maintaining quality of care
• Confidentiality issues

7. Deepa Sanjeev Pawaskar & Anr. v.
The State of Maharashtra (2018)
• The case also involved use of telecommunication
as a medium of consultation.
• Bombay High Court refused to grant anticipatory
bail to 2 doctors involved in the treatment of a
patient who ultimately died and the husband
filed criminal complaints against the doctors
accusing them of criminal negligence.
• No law in India which governed the practice of
telemedicine consultation.

8. Telemedicine Practice Guidelines,
2020
• On 25th March 2020 MoHFW, Government of
India issued Guidelines, 2020 which were
prepared in partnership with NITI Aayog.
• Purpose:
– to give practical advice to doctors
– Will assist medical practitioners-to provide
effective and safe medical care founded on
current information, available resources, and
patient needs to ensure patient and provider
safety.

9. Other Legislations
• Drug And Cosmetics Act, 1940
• Drugs and Cosmetics Rules,1945
• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances,
Act, 1985
• The Indian Medical Council Act, 1956
• The Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002
• Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct,
Etiquette And Ethics) Regulations, 2002 [Code of
Ethics Regulations, 2002]
• Information Technology Act, 2000