Date:22/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/22/stories/2005092217660700.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Apollo, Reliance Infocomm go in for telemedicine agreement

Staff Reporter

Patients can consult specialists, fix up appointments Blurb:

CHENNAI: Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation (ATNF), a subsidiary of Apollo Group of Hospitals, on Tuesday entered into an agreement with Reliance Infocomm for expanding its telemedicine network.

An elderly heart patient from Shaheed Nagar in Bhubaneswar was the first to benefit. Her videos and scan reports were telecast to a group of consultants at Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad through broadband Internet network of Reliance. Doctors and journalists in New Delhi, where the official launch function was organised, and Chennai watched the teleconsultation.

Internet cafes

Dr. Pratap C.Reddy, chairman, Apollo Group of Hospitals, said in New Delhi that Reliance's 240 Internet cafes (Reliance Web World) would be added to the 79 telemedicine centres of Apollo to create a nationwide grid.

Since first using the telemedicine network via "telecardiology" in its Chennai hospital, Apollo has reached out to more than 55,000 patients.

Prof. K. Ganapathy, head of ATNF, said more than 72 patients residing in remote locations had been treated.

Sangita Reddy, Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said future plans included setting up of a national grid of telemedicine where various hospitals could exchange expertise.

Sarup Chowdhary, CEO, Reliance Web World, said his group and its chairman Anil Ambani were pleased that their broadband network was reaching out to the common man.

The telemedicine network can be used for consulting specialists and fixing appointments at any of the Apollo Hospitals.

In the pilot-testing stage over the next six months, the facility will be introduced in Reliance Web World centres in 30 cities. In Tamil Nadu alone, it will be available in 10 cities, including Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore.

Preetha Reddy, Director, Apollo Group of Hospitals, said the patient's records would be saved in the secure environment on the Internet. The telemedicine applications conformed to international standards, she stressed.

The organisers said the exact cost of using the telemedicine facility would be worked out soon.

To learn more about ATNF, log on to www.telemedicineindia.com or call up +44-28296638 in the Chennai hospital.