Apollo’s e-telemedicine run on low cost finds takers in small towns

The technology enables Apollo doctors to view ‘live diagnosis’
Megha Mann
Ludhiana, June 4
THE newly-launched low-cost e-telemedicine project of Satguru Pratap Singh Apollo Hospitals has found takers in small towns such as Fazilka and Doraha. The low cost technology enables experts at Apollo to view live diagnosis such as ECG, TMT and x-rays with minimal investment on behalf of other medical institutes seeking their service.
According to a statement issued here, this technology enables patients to have on-the-spot opinion of experts free of cost, and also ensures delivery of quality medical facilities in small towns.
“Deriving information from ECG is not everybody’s cup of tea. Earlier, the doctors used to first get ECG xeroxed, paste it in pieces on a paper and then fax it. This was a tiresome procedure, and a facsimile copy of ECG gave only a static status. By using this software, doctors can monitor live ECG and the change in modulations that occur by seconds, thereby giving a clearer picture of the defect,” said Manager Marketing Sunil Mehta, who has been instrumental in developing this software.
The usual telemedicine installation requires Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakh, whereas this technique just requires an internet broadband connection and a digital ECG machine. Presently, the EDP (electronic data processing) department of the hospital is laying emphasis on having a tie-up with those institutes that have digital ECG and TMT machines that facilitate easy and immediate transfer of data.
The hospital has a tie-up with Sachdeva Hospital and Jassi Hospital in Fazilka. Talks are on with Sidhu Hospital, Doraha and Ranjeet Hospital, Rara Sahib in this regard. Instead of using the traditional V-sat method, the hospital is relying on this software to have a major breakthrough in providing telemedicine services. The EDP department is headed by Balihar Singh, and its chief officer is Dr SP Singh.
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