Uniform access to health services continues to present a challenge throughout the nation. Visiting a health practitioner can be especially difficult for people living in the rural and remote areas that typically have trouble attracting health practitioners. Residents of such areas often have to travel long distances at a great deal of expense in order to access the services that many in urban areas take for granted,
Fortunately, telemedicine presents a unique solution to this challenge by giving health care practitioners the tools to connect with patients from a distance using the telephone and the Internet. As a leader in information technology, India is in a strong position to build a technological network across the country that could serve millions of people and improve the nation’s overall health outcomes for its citizenry. For example, the state of Kerala implemented the Dr. SMS program in order to provide residents, tourists, and migrants in the area with up-to-date health information via text message, including help locating nearby health services.
The opportunities for utilizing telehealth throughout India are truly limitless, provided that government and private agencies embrace collaboration in order to implement such services. While pilot projects investigating the viability of telehealth have been ongoing in several states, research suggests that fear of this unfamiliar platform for healthcare may prove to be a major obstacle for healthcare practitioners and patients alike. Thus, any public health initiatives regarding telehealth must clearly outline what telehealth is, how it can help individuals, and how healthcare practitioners can best support its implementation.
Obviously, there are some healthcare services that require face-to-face interaction between patients and healthcare practitioners. However, patients with chronic health problems like diabetes could benefit from remote monitoring programs that check their health from a distance. Additionally, as demonstrated by the Kerala project, telehealth can be an excellent approach when it comes to providing the health education that is a critical aspect of preventative care.