INTEL TECHNOLOGY HELPS ENABLE HEALTHCARE ACCESS TO PEOPLE IN RURAL KARNATAKA
Monday December 13, 2010 , 3 min Read
Joint Telemedicine initiative with the Government of Karnataka launched in Angodu and Harihara
Working with the Government of Karnataka, Intel has successfully put into operation a joint tele-medicine initiative at the Angodu Primary Health Care center and Harihara Taluk Hospital that paves the way for the extension of healthcare benefits to the rural population of Karnataka. Under this program, Intel provides the necessary technology support in terms of IT infrastructure and offsite technical resources. Other like minded solution and healthcare providers like Tata Consultancy Services*, HCITedu* and S.N Informatics Pvt Ltd* have also joined this project to enhance the scope of clinical diagnostics.
“The project is part of Intel’s initiative to bring the benefit of technology to more people, especially in the interiors of the country. The project is the outcome of diligent efforts invested by Intel and other organizations. Intel has long been committed to changing people’s lives through technology - this is another step in that direction. ” said Gopal Swaminathan, Director Sales & Marketing Group, Intel South Asia
Telemedicine: Benefitting lives of rural people through technology
Telemedicine is a healthcare initiative that allows the transmission of services including diagnosis and consultation remotely. Doctors and physicians from larger towns or medical institutions can connect to the health care centers or hospitals in the remote areas through a networked environment that makes patient data available online through interactive audio and video facilities. The initiative aims at bringing the latest developments in medicine to the remote villages and towns in India.
“We have this ECG facility in our hospital, which is absolutely free of cost, and people are attracted towards this free ECG scan facility. Anyone who comes for consultation will first go through some tests and if we suspect anything serious, we ask them to go through an ECG scan. By doing this, we have saved many lives in our hospital. I would like to congratulate the telemedicine team.” said Dr. Asha, Harihara Taluk Hospital, Devangere Dt. Karnataka.
The health centers in this pilot program in Karnataka were furnished with equipment including audio and video transmission to send patients’ records to be transmitted to the specialist Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital, Bangalore. Besides analyzing patient data including ECGs, Narayana Hrudayalaya which is a premier cardiology hospital also provided consultation to the patients of the health centers. Over 1,900 ECGs have been referred to the Narayana Hrudayalaya from Telehealth projects across Rui Baramati in Maharashtra, Tindivanam in Tamil Nadu and Angodu in Karanataka .
“We also have Tele ECG network where we get hundreds of ECGs daily from remote clinics located in India and outside of India. We are able to diagnose heart attacks by looking at these ECGs and save thousands of precious lives” said Dr. Devi Shetty Of Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Science
The telemedicine initiative implemented by Intel and other ecosystem players has the potential to provide specialized health care to millions more Indians and it is also economically viable for the rural population. This initiative, when extended to all the villages across the country, has the potential to pave a way for better tomorrow and a healthy India.
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and
