A digital network has just been created in India to help patients reach the right doctor quicker, in a country where it usually takes several months to get the right diagnosis and then the right treatment.
The project is an initiative between Indian cancer hospitals, led by the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbay and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of the biggest IT companies in the country.
A digital network to facilitate connection between patients and doctors
The digital nerve center was inaugurated on May 21, 2017 as a network linkingthe hospital with the Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata, the Cancer Institute in Chennai and the Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. He will soon connect all 108 hospitals that are part of India’s National Cancer Grid, a network of major cancer centers, research institutes, patient groups and charitable institutions across India.
A one-stop center
« The [digital centre] will act as a one-stop centre for anyone who suspects he has cancer or has just been diagnosed, » said cancer surgeon Dr C Pramesh from Tata Memorial Hospital.
« All a person has to do is call up a phone number where trained individuals, including doctors, will speak to him/her about the symptoms and suggest an oncologist at the nearest cancer centre. »
Subsequently, the digital device will make it possible to set appointments with the doctor, to send reminders to patients about follow-up visits and laboratory tests.
The entire medical file of the patient will also be available in a digital format, which will facilitate the search for a second medical opinion.
« The [centre] can be used not only for oncology, but can similarly link up heart or infectious diseases specialities, » said Dr. Pramesh.
Reducing administrative burdens
The new device will also reduce administrative burdens on physicians. « At present, between 40-60% of a doctor’s work is administrative, writing patient files or treatment plans, » doctors of the network said. The digital center has a program that enables doctors to make voice recordings of their patient’s treatment plan. The voice file is then converted into a document and uploaded to the patient’s electronic health record.
Facilitating access to care services for all Indians
Cancer: 1 million new cases reported every year in India
Fighting cancer is one of the main priorities in India. About 1 million new cases are detected every year, with 700,000 patients in various stages of treatment succumbing to its complications. A recent study made by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research-Chandigarh showed that the average time between a patient noticing a cancer symptom and the diagnosis is four months, but could extend to three years.
1 oncologist for 1,600 patients
The oncologist-to-patient ratio is very low in India, about 1:1,600, said Girish Krishnamurthy, vice president of TCS. « Around 32% rural patients travel far to access basic healthcare. The nerve centre will help the National Cancer Grid improve outcomes of cancer care while enabling patients to easily access healthcare at their doorstep, » said Mr. Krishnamurthy.
The digital center will allow real-time monitoring of patients
Currently, most patients, especially from the northern and eastern parts of the country, move to the west or south to obtain treatment because it is in these areas that the best care is. « With the digital nerve centre, doctors can document treatment plans and options in real time. As this becomes the norm, uniformity in care will follow, » said Dr. Rajendra Badwe, Tata Memorial Centre director. So, patients will receive the same treatment at the cancer centre nearest to their home as doctors at Tata Memorial Centre or Chennai’s Cancer Institute would prescribe.