To reach rural patients: State to roll out 'tele-gastrology' services

More than 85 lakh tele-consultations have already been delivered to the people seeking medical attention in various disciplines

Pradip Chatterjee  |  MP  |  21 Oct 2022  |  KOLKATA: In a bid to ensure best quality treatment to the gastrointestinal patients in the rural hinterland of Bengal, the state Health department is set to roll out "tele-gastrology" services under which the specialist doctors from the SSKM Hospital will treat villagers three days a week through the existing tele-medicine platform under 'Swasthya Ingit' scheme. 

According to a government order issued by the health department, more than 85 lakh tele-consultations have already been delivered to the people seeking medical attention in various disciplines. State health department has now given approval to include specialized treatment in gastrology. 

Specialist gastroenterologists of SSKM will be available for treatment on the IT platform from 12 pm to 2 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The doctors who are posted at the Suswasthya Kendras in the districts would take down the vitals aspects relating to the patients and connect the specialist doctors. 

"SSKM Hospital will act as a Hub for tele-gastroenterology. Dr Arka Banerjee, Gastroenterologist at SSKM has been nominated as nodal officer of the Hub. The nodal officer will share the doctors' details in required format so that the doctors who are going to take part in Gastroenterology telemedicine may be configured in Swasthya Ingit portal for needed login credential generation," reads the order. 

The scheme was initially started with general consultations but the specialized treatment was added in the disciplines like general medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, pediatrics, ENT, orthopedics, psychiatry and ophthalmology. It may be mentioned that tele-nephrology, tele-oncology services have also been started to further augment IT infrastructure. 

The main objective of "Swasthya Ingit", IT-based audio-visual telemedicine initiative is to serve rural people so that the specialist doctors from the city's medical colleges can treat far off patients through IT-enabled systems. The initiative was launched by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in August 2021. 

Following the initiative, the state government set up a robust IT platform and managed to provide affordable, inclusive and sustainable healthcare service delivery up to grass root level. 

According to sources, more than 4,041 Suswathya Kendras in villages have started as decentralized e-Clinics and more than 700 doctors have started giving online consultations to the people in villages more through around 68 Telemedicine hubs across the state. 

These hubs have come up in various districts. 

Incidentally, Bengal ranked second in the country after Andhra Pradesh for reaching out to the maximum number of patients in the rural areas through the telemedicine platform. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/to-reach-rural-patients-state-to-roll-out-tele-gastrology-services-496602