Amrita Hospital, Kochi, has announced the expansion of its telemedicine services through the launch of several new initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access for patients across India. The inauguration was presided over by Dr. Prem Nair, Group Medical Director of Amrita Hospitals.
The launch event highlighted the extension of the ‘Tele-Stroke’ service, already in place in Kerala and Assam with support from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), to new regions, including Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. This expansion is set to provide timely, life-saving interventions for stroke patients in underserved areas.
Amrita Hospital also unveiled the ‘Tele-Epilepsy’ initiative, designed to aid in the monitoring and treatment of epilepsy patients. This service will be particularly beneficial for individuals in remote locations who have limited access to specialized care.
Efforts to improve telemedicine connectivity for the treatment and rehabilitation of respiratory diseases in rural and tribal communities were also announced, alongside new telemedicine programs focused on the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer and patients experiencing swallowing difficulties.
In 2002, Amrita Hospital launched its telemedicine program with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to reach people in remote areas. It uses mobiles and satellite technology to connect Amrita Hospital’s specialists with patients, doctors and surgeons in their regions.
Through video conferencing, it offers primary diagnosis, second opinions, treatment recommendations, and post-treatment advice. Surgeons with Amrita Hospital also collaborate with surgeons and doctors as they perform procedures in their local facilities.
The event featured insightful discussions and remarks from eminent medical professionals, including Amrita’s Prof. Dr. Anand Kumar, who delivered the welcome address, Prof. Dr. D. M. Vasudevan, who gave the presidential address and Prof. Dr. Subramania Iyer, who provided a project briefing.
The event was graced by distinguished guests of honour such as Padma Shri Dr. D. D. Sagdio, Chief Medical Officer, Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission Tribal Hospital, Wayanad, and Dr. S. Raghavan, Emeritus Professor, ECE Department, N.I.T. Trichy.
Expert experiences in telemedicine were shared by Dr. Vivek Varma, Chief Medical Officer, Assam University Hospital; Dr. Tony Abraham, Medical Superintendent, KMF Hospital, Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu; Dr. Narayanan V. C., Chief Medical Officer, Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission Hospital, Attappadi; and Dr. Sanjeev Vasudevan, Chief Medical Officer, Amritakripa Charitable Hospital, Wayanad. Dr. Vivek Nambiar and Prof. Dr. Siby Gopinath also contributed as speakers.
