This will be preceded by the establishment of a department of telemedicine in the varsity, which will also be the first such department in a medical university, Dr. Hussain claimed.
The course would initially be a part-time certificate programme for doctors affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR University, but there were prospects of extending it to a full two-year term, the Vice-Chancellor said. The course, to be co-ordinated by K. Ganapathy, head, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation, would host technologists and engineers as faculty for participants. Classes would be held between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. over a month and would include practical and field experience.
Dr. Hussain was speaking to reporters after attending a function to distribute certificates to participants of the sixth Telehealth Technology Course, conducted jointly by the Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation (ATNF) and Anna University.
New model
Telehealth technology would be key to reducing inequities in health care access in the future.
It would be the new model for home health care, reducing costs and time substantially and could also be used as a tool to educate students in rural medical colleges, he said.
Healthcare for all
Speaking on the occasion, D. Vishwanathan, Anna University Vice-Chancellor, said e-health would revolutionise healthcare.
However, the idea and practice were yet to take shape in developing nations where its advantages and benefits will be many. "This will be the single most factor to allow India to reach the status of Healthcare for All by 2020."
Challenges
Dr. Vishwanathan outlined the key challenges to the establishment of e-health in developing countries such as lack of financial support and sustainability; lack of technically competent staff at all levels and awareness, attitudinal problems among users and legal and policy issues. Anna University was in the process of setting up telemedicine facilities on the campus.
Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals group, said one of the biggest challenges in the country was access to healthcare - financial and geographical.
Telemedicine, to an extent, was making distance immaterial. Dr. Ganapathy, who serves as course director for the telehealth technology course, said as early as in 1999, the few faithful of telemedicine technology were sailing in uncharted seas.
But the situation had changed and the roadmap had become clear. This necessitated the establishment of a formal training programme for telemedicine.
Over six short-term intensive courses, 140 personnel hade been trained in telemedicine as part of the ATNF, Anna University tie-up.
This year, the Army Central Command deputed six officers to take the telemedicine course.
Videoconferencing
G. Ravindran, director, Centre for Medical Electronics, Anna University, and course director, said the university was developing videoconferencing facilities at affordable rates. This would facilitate telemedicine too.
He requested Dr. Hussain to depute 200 doctors from all over the State for a day's orientation and training programme on telemedicine.
Quelle/Source: The Hindu, 09.05.2007
