Future of telemedicine in India
India, in recent years, has gained much popularity as a health tourism destination. With diagnostic and treatment approaches ranging from Ayurvedic, Allopathic, Homoeopathic, and Unani, among many others, digital penetration is at its peak. The rise of telemedicine has been more evident in the post-pandemic phase than ever. However, the health divide in India remains debatable, with a population of more than 120 crores and around 75% of doctors residing in urban regions as opposed to 68% rural population in dire need of health services.
Telemedicine can play a pivotal role in ensuring the equitable distribution of healthcare services.
In addition to saving travel time and cost, telemedicine enables people to step out and be upfront about their struggles, stigma, and imitations. Certain chronic conditions like AIDS, cancer, and mental irregularities receive a lot of judgment, negative vibes, and stigma from society. Telemedicine helps alleviate all of this to a great extent. External factors such as a pandemic, long distances, and lousy weather lead patients to seek medical help in a safer convenient way. It also encourages people not to visit hospitals when functioning at full capacity. Telemedicine is a great boon for the elderly with chronic diseases, pregnant or isolated COVID patients who need constant monitoring, and e-consultations.
There are reportedly 4 basic types of telemedicine apps:
- Mode of communication
- Timing of the information transmitted
- Purpose of the consultation
- Interaction between the individuals involved: RMP-to-patient/caregiver or RMP to RMP
The increasing popularity of novel digital technologies like Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine learning (ML), Natural linguistic processing (NLP), Internet of Things (IoT), among others, are enabling healthcare giants to provide customized services to patients and improve patient engagement and empowerment. Telemedicine has already forayed into diagnosing and treating rare genetics, nephrology, neurology, endocrinology, and other disorders, including cancer and pregnancy.
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