PUDUCHERRY: JIPMER has taken a major step to expand its telemedicine network globally. It is planning to initiate telemedicine collaborations with various international telemedicine networks including Telemedicine Development Center of Asia (TEMDEC), Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN) and Trans-Eurasia Information Network (TEIN), said JIPMER Director Dr S C Parija. Partnerships with international networks would help JIPMER to share knowledge with most of the countries in the world and strengthen healthcare delivery system in India.
Dr Parija said that JIPMER, has been designated as Regional Resource Centre (RRC) for telemedicine activities in South India. The RRC at JIPMER caters to more than 160 medical colleges in five southern states. The telemedicine infrastructure at JIPMER is up to date with most of the available telemedicine equipment including high speed (1Gbps) internet connectivity and satellite connectivity. Various telemedicine projects are currently running in JIPMER, which include Onconet Cancer Project, National Knowledge Network (NKN), National Medical College Network (NMCN) and Medical Virtual Class Room (MVCR) Project, Tele-Ophthalmology Project, ISRO Telemedicine Project. Telemedicine patient care services including Tele-Emergency, Tele-OPD, Tele-ICU, Tele-Follow up Clinic, Mobile Telemedicine Kiosk Consultations are successfully running in JIPMER.
Impressed with the facility, Dr Shuji Shimizu, Director, Telemedicine Development Center of Asia (TEMDEC), Kyushu University, Japan had invited JIPMER to participate in the 9th Asia Telemedicine Symposium-2015 in South Korea. The symposium, organised by TEMDEC, was held at Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea on November 13 and 14. Selected invitees from major medical institutes from Asia participated in the event. From JIPMER, Director Dr Parija and Dr Kalayarasan, Assistant Professor of the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology attended the event. Dr Ravi Kumar Chittoria,
Nodal officer of Telemedicine and Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery and JIPMER Telemedicine Team including Satheesh Kumar (HIS), Mohamed Ishaq (Telemedicine Staff) and NIC Puducherry official R Rajasekaran, participated remotely from Telemedicine Centre JIPMER. In the symposium Directors of major medical institutes in Asia discussed use of telemedicine effectively in a public health crisis.