THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 17 April 2020 (Right dosage during pandemic(Indian Express))

Right dosage during pandemic(Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2:Health 
Prelims level: Telemedicine
Mains level: Requirement of Telemedicine in Indian healthcare system

Context:

• Telemedicine is seeing an increased focus, and the government is committed to supporting its spread. 
• Dr Ganapathy Krishnan, the Chennai-based neurosurgeon and a pioneer in telemedicine who has been promoting the idea for over 20 years.
• The Telemedicine Society of India’s (TSI) efforts to have official guidelines passed for the practice of telemedicine in India have borne fruit.

Issuing guidelines:

• A remotely administered practice of consultation will help stop overcrowding of hospitals during a pandemic.
• The government has recently cleared several legal issues relating to telemedicine, including medical licences.

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Significance of the Telemedicine methodology: 

• India has a shortage of healthcare facilities and an inadequate health infrastructure.It is a safety valve for a strained healthcare system. 
• Telemedicine is a term encompassing methods used to examine, investigate, monitor and treat, with the patient and doctor located in different places. 
• Unnecessary travelling is eliminated. Image acquisition, storage, display, processing and transfer form the basis of telemedicine.
• Telehealth provides remote consultation for normal health issues that will affect 5-10% of the quarantined population. Covid-19 suspected patients mustn’t be routinely referred to casualties or OPD services in the hospitals to minimise the risk of exposure to other patients and healthcare providers. 
• With telemedicine, a single remote clinician can cover multiple sites spread over different geographies.

Can able to work with ICU management: 

• Telemedicine can work in ICU management as well. 
• Makeshift improvised emergency ICUs are unlikely to have qualified doctors. Thus, handholding and telementoring are essential. 
• An existing ICU should act as a central command station connected to new ICUs. It will make all the difference.

Key challenges: 

• Public-private partnerships in telehealth are now operational in many states. 
• However, erroneous interpretation of some judgements in the media has ended up questioning the very legality of providing teleconsultations. 
• All these hurdles have been crossed now. 
• With great strides in technology and efforts by doctors, telemedicine is finally finding its right place in healthcare.Fast-growing use also creates challenges. 

Way forward: 

• It takes time to establish the technology infrastructure, recruit virtual providers, provide training on best practices, and educate patients about telehealth through patient-facing websites, social media and direct outreach. 
• Digital payment must be facilitated as well. Resources need to be mobilised to build infrastructure and capacity. 
• To encourage patients to take up telehealth options, telehealth professionals should proactively and frequently provide information.

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Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1)With reference to the Food Corporation of India, consider the following statements:
1. It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
2. It was set up in 1995 and is headquartered in Chennai.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer......................

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Mains Questions:
Q.1)What are the major importance of the telemedicine methodology? What are the major challenges lagged behind the implementation of such technology?