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Uttarakhand CM launches teleradiology facility in Pauri
Uttarakhand became the fifth state of the country Friday to introduce teleradiology services for relaying clinical test images to medical experts elsewhere for interpretation and diagnosis
Uttarakhand became the fifth state of the country Friday to introduce teleradiology services for relaying clinical test images to medical experts elsewhere for interpretation and diagnosis.
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat attended the launch of the service at the Pauri district hospital in Garhwal region. Of the total 35 hospitals to be covered by the project, the facility will be available at 12 state-run hospitals as of now. Work is on to begin services at the remaining 23 hospitals.
Prior to the hill state, teleradiology was launched for government hospitals in Haryana, Assam, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh.
Launched under the public-private partnership mode, teleradiology services will involve transmission of radiological test images of X-ray, ultrasound, MRI and CT scans from one location to another for seeking
expert consultation from radiologists and physicians at the other end.
“This scheme will boost health services in the state, especially in remote, hill places and will help in gaining timely diagnosis and treatment of patients,” Rawat said. “Now patients in remote areas will be able to save time and expense. Doctors will also get assistance as experts will be able to study the scans and suggest the line of treatment.”
Poor standard network technologies such as the internet, telephone lines and mobile connectivity, especially in higher reaches of the state, will pose its own set of challenges to the project. “We are working to improve digital connectivity in the hills (in this regard),” the chief minister said.
