Amid COVID-19 Crisis, How Can Telemedicine Be Harnessed in India?

The Medical Council of India, in partnership with NITI Aayog, recently released guidelines for practice of telemedicine. Considering the current COVID-19 outbreak, the guidelines could not have been released at a more apt time. Using telemedicine is a safe way of screening and treating patients in times of infectious outbreaks. It ensures safety of doctors, as they do not need to be in the physical vicinity of the patient. Besides outbreak situations, telemedicine is also of great help where healthcare facilities are not easily available or accessible. It saves patient the time of going long distances for minor illnesses. While the telemedicine practice guidelines have paved the way for more efficient practices in healthcare, it is imperative to have the infrastructure and the funding in place, for their implementation on ground.Read more