Telemedicine in India: A perspective, collaboration, and knowledge sharing

Abstract

Telemedicine aims to provide increased access to high-quality healthcare that is efficient and cost-effective. It involves real-time interactive communication between patients and physicians at distant sites. It has the potential to revolutionize health-care delivery in India. Telemedicine in India offers several benefits, particularly in addressing healthcare challenges. It also bridges health-care disparities based on location, ethnicity, and social status. It reduces long waitlists, inflexible appointments, transportation difficulties, and frequent follow-ups. It enables doctors to remotely monitor patients, leading to more efficient health-care delivery and cost savings. Telemedicine facilitates collaboration among health-care providers, enabling them to share knowledge, seek second opinions, or consult specialists without physical limitations. Effective implementation of telemedicine improves India’s primary health-care system by enhancing palliative care, early identification of diseases, prevention strategies, and rehabilitation. The Indian government has recognized the potential of telemedicine and has taken steps to promote its adoption through initiatives such as the National Telemedicine Portal and Collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization. Despite challenges such as infrastructure limitations, proper regulation, and data security, the widespread accessibility of mobile devices and the Internet in India makes telemedicine a promising avenue for doctors to reach a larger population while improving patient care. Therefore, telemedicine in India offers doctors and health-care providers expanded access to patients, improved patient care through enhanced communication, increased efficiency in health-care delivery, opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing among health-care providers, and the strengthening of primary health-care systems. The Indian government’s support further highlights the potential of telemedicine to transform health-care delivery in the country while addressing existing challenges.