BENGALURU: If all goes as planned, very soon the state government might legalise telemedicine and online health care. This was discussed in the first ever meeting of the State’s Vision Group on health care, search and innovation, formed by the state government, chaired by Dr Devi Prasad Shetty headed by Deputy Chief Minister and Medical Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan on Monday.
Discussing the importance of telemedicine and online health care, which is not legal as of today, Dr Shetty said, “Online medical consultancy should be permitted across Karnataka. By legalising it, the state can be a pioneer in yet another move in health care. With usage of smart technologies and innovations, it should be made ethical,” he opined.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior physician agreed to this and said, today, hand-held devices can check blood pressure, pulse, saturation, ECG and sugar at home. Diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obstructive lung diseases, chronic heart failure, skin diseases, routine cold, cough and fever can easily be managed online.
“Patients with psychiatric problems, in fact, prefer online consultation as it enables them to hide their identity.
The family paediatrician needs to see the child if required once in few months,” Dr Gopikrishna P, a senior physician, said. The advantage of online health care is that it is at one’s fingertip, convenient for both patient and doctor since the patient can be in his bedroom and doctor may be stuck in a traffic jam, experts opined.Out of the 20 members of the group, five were absent including Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.