Riding high on the success of its pilot teleradiology facility introduced at Pathanamthitta on way to Sabarimala shrine during the pilgrimage season, HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL) is all set to expand its radio diagnostic services to more hospitals and diagnostic centres across the country.
HLL recently signed an agreement with the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd to provide affordable radio diagnostic facilities through government hospitals where tele-medicine linkages have been established.
Teleradiology utilises standard network technologies, such as the Internet, telephone lines and cloud networks, for transferring radiological patient images, such as X-ray, CT and MRI, from one location to another. The idea was borne out of rising imbalance between the demand for imaging procedures and availability of professionals in this field.
HLL’s teleradiology is supported by a network of around 20 well-trained radiologists located in and outside the state who receive radiological images from various hospitals through the Internet. After examining the images, these off-location radiologists send the reports back to the hospitals concerned and scanning centres. The facility was successfully tested at the Government General Hospitals in Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta.HLL Chairman and Managing Director M Ayyappan said the concept of teleradiology was of great significance to a country such as India. “For, we have an acute shortage of experts in this domain, mainly in the rural pockets,” he noted.
Also, the service can be availed of by hospitals and other healthcare facilities that do not have a full-time radiologist and by those who cannot afford one, he said.
“The company’s aim is to establish links with more public health institutions and private medical establishments in the country,” he said. HLL will issue the emergency report for the accident/ trauma patients within one hour during night hours also. HLL has established a call centre for coordinating the teleradiology.