Telemedicine in Pakistan – Future of Healthcare Services

Frontiers in Public Health

BackgroundTelemedicine is the provision of healthcare services through information and communication technology with the potential to mobilize all facets of the health sector to prevent the spread of COVID-19, provide quality healthcare, protect patients, doctors, and the public from exposure to disease, and reduce the burden on the healthcare system. This study aims to identify knowledge, perceptions, willingness to use, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telemedicine awareness.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from 27 May 2020 to 17 June 2020 using the convenient sampling technique in the general population of Pakistan. Data were collected by designing an online questionnaire consisting of demographic information, knowledge, attitude perceptions, barriers, utilization, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telemedicine.ResultsOf the 602 participants included in the study, 70.1% had heard about telemedicine, 54.3% had a good understanding of the definition o...

Telemedicine is the way to provide better health care facilities to the people of the underprivileged unprocurable areas. As constraints on time and resources makes face to face consultation increasingly dearly-won, and telemedicine has the potential to produce major efficiencies in the symptomatic process. Therefore the goal of current research is to truss medicine with technology, and to produce a robust system that delivers an acceptable service at an appropriate price. In this paper, we mention the reasons why Pakistan needs telemedicine. We present the past and on-going activities and the projects on telemedicine in Pakistan. After analyzing those projects we propose a telemedicine network model which improves healthcare facilities in remote areas of Pakistan. Our proposed model consists of both store & forward and real mode of telemedicine operations. This model connects the small and ill-equipped hospitals located in rural areas to the large and well equipped hospitals and telemedicine centers in urban areas.

Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 2022

Telemedicine that also known as the practice of medicine at a distance whereby information technology is used to ensure the delivery of medical care services. Telemedicine is not a new concept in the world and India.Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) started telemedicine in India during year 2001 as a pilot project and in year 2005 Ministry of Health and family welfare started full time program of telemedicine by connecting all major health institutions. Telemedicine is connecting people across border and culture. The need-based changes are coming in telemedicine sectors such as smart apps, involvement of private sector players and high intensity internet connections reaching to rural areas and difficult demographic locations. During Covid-19 pandemic telemedicine benefited people by supplying health information and consultation without breaching them without breeching physical contact restrictions. The ease of access to telemedicine applications, its low cost, and the lack ...

medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), 2024

Purpose: Digital health is an important factor in India's healthcare system. Inclusive policy measures, a fertile technological landscape, and relevant infrastructural development with unprecedented levels of telemedicine adoption catalysed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic have thrown open new possibilities and opportunities for clinicians, end-users, and other stakeholders. Nevertheless, there are still several challenges to properly integrating and scaling telemedicine use in India. This study's objective was to understand the views of practising physicians in India on the use of telemedicine and the challenges experienced during the accelerated rollout during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We acquired data through an anonymous, cross-sectional, internet-based survey of physicians (n=444) across India on the COVID-19 frontline. These responses were subjected to qualitative data analysis (via inductive coding and thematic analyses) and descriptive statistics, as appropriate. Results: Most responses (n=51) were categorised under a code indicating that telemedicine-led healthcare delivery compromised treatment quality. The second largest proportion of responses (n=22) suggested that 'Accessibility, quality and maturity of software and hardware infrastructure' was a considerable challenge. Conclusions: Despite the considerable uptake, perceived benefits, and the foreseen positive role of telemedicine in India, several challenges of telemedicine use (viz., technical, user experience-based integration, and non-user-based integration challenges) have been identified. These must be addressed through suggested relevant opportunities to realise telemedicine's potential and help inform the future design of effective telemedicine policy and practice in India.

Telemedicine and e-Health, 2021

Background: The use of technology in the medical field has been rising rapidly and offering, in many cases, an alternative to traditional ways of practicing medicine, especially when remote medical services are required. This background has laid the foundation for telemedicine to play a role in controlling the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Telemedicine has the potential to allow the facilitation of providing the necessary medical care to patients without exposing them to contact with other patients or the general population. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the utilization of telemedicine by the Lebanese physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional online study was conducted using LimeSurvey Ò through an e-mail-based questionnaire sent to physicians currently enrolled in both Beirut and Tripoli Lebanese Order of Physicians. Results: Four hundred one physicians completed the survey resulting in a response rate of 5.85%. Most of the respondents (N = 401, 75.8%) reported using telemedicine to provide health care services to patients without in-person visits during the pandemic. Among those using telemedicine (N = 304), around 40% reported that they started using it during COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion: Literature states that the average time of an inperson clinic consultation is more than 15 min. This implies that telemedicine can play a role in saving physicians' time; this conclusion is supported by other studies that consider telemedicine a time-saving method of providing health care services. Conclusions: Our study indicated that telemedicine is used by the majority of Lebanese physicians and that this use has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results showed that telemedicine does have a potential that can allow it to be integrated in the health care system and implemented on a national organized level.

As technological advance leaps into the developing world, telemedicine is expected to significantly grow in many developing countries. It is important to investigate the awareness, preferences, requirements, perceptions and attitudes of physicians in Saudi Arabia towards the use of telemedicine technology. In order to promote the use of telemedicine among physicians, training should be focused on older professionals and those who show lower levels of IT knowledge and experience. This chapter uses the results of a survey that was conducted in the city of Al-Dammam, Saudi Arabia, which gathered information about physicians' awareness and attitude towards telemedicine. Most physicians reported high level of awareness of telemedicine and showed interest in using telemedicine technology in their work. Physicians' preference of using such technology was predicted by their awareness, knowledge and previous experience, using telemedicine and technology affinity. Physicians' willingness to use telemedicine was influenced by age, technology preparedness and practice. Adler, A. T. (2000). A cost-effective portable telemedicine kit for use in Developing countries (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Alajlani, M. (2010). Issues facing the application of telemedicine in developing countries: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Syrian Arab Republic (Doctoral dissertation, Brunel University, School of Information Systems, Computing and Mathematics).

Indian Journal of Forensic and Community Medicine, 2021

Telemedicine has been around for decades but it has taken foreground in health services recently. When COVID-19 cases started to be reported in the country it brought with itself panic and chaos. At all India level, the adult literacy rate is 77.7%, this could also be linked to unawareness related to the disease in rural areas. The sudden countrywide lockdown imposed was of no help and further worsened the situation for economically weaker section of the society. During the struggle of our nation to overcome the COVID-19 Telemedicine has indeed played a vital role. People in fear of contacting the disease and due to nationwide lockdown were unable to reach their health care provider. People with pre-existing conditions that needs regular monitoring, pregnancy related queries, queries on new symptoms, psychological counselling and many more could not wait for the COVID-19 to be over before they get any help on the issues.­­ Telemedicine shall continue developing and be used in a mult...

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, 2020

Objective: The present study aimed to describe the common symptoms and diagnosis for each specialty which can be used in future for expansion of teleconsultation services and implementation of the E Sanjeevani model in health care. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study which comprises the data collected from various specialties over a 4-month period. The telemedicine consultations were given by the consultants of the concerned specialty in adherence to the telemedicine guidelines issued by the government and mostly generic names of the medicine were advised to the patients. The demographic details, chief complaint of the patient, diagnosis, and treatment were recorded. Results: The total number of calls which was received in 4 months period at the telemedicine center in Government Medical College, Ayodhya, was 4848. Maximum number of calls was attended by the department of obstetrics and gynecology which was 771 (15.9%). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had a substant...

IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, 2014

Telemedicine offers the potential to alleviate the severe shortage of medical specialists in developing countries and promises to alleviate some of the difficulties rural doctors and hospitals have in accessing specialist advice in Saudi Arabia. Telemedicine programs between remote rural hospitals and central hospitals have been successfully implemented in Canada, USA, Australia and in Saudi Arabia. In all these countries telemedicine has allowed the specialist to come to the patient rather than the patient's having to travel vast distances to visit the specialist. There is an acute shortage of radiologists in rural regions of the country, particularly in southern region of Saudi Arabia, therefore applications include Teleradiology, Telepathology and teleconferencing between rural hospitals and central hospitals which is ideally suited to the development of a national telemedicine network. Nearly half a century ago, telemedicine was disregarded for being an unwieldy, unreliable and unaffordable technology. Rapidly evolving telecommunications and information technologies have provided a solid foundation for telemedicine as a feasible, dependable and useful technology. enhanced access to healthcare via telemedicine will be achieved only with the ubiquitous distribution of telemedicine systems networks. In fact, the need for increased access to healthcare, lower cost for healthcare and increased quality of such care is generally inversely related to populations or regions economic status. To achieve enhanced access in our educational fields, these systems must become more affordable and both the public and private sectors must assume their respective shares in this investment and also use full point in medical educational filed. This paper describes and clarify the role of Telemedicine and Teleradiology in education .Through identifying the relevant literature and provide suggestion that might be implemented and consider in the near future. Researchers expect that this study will enhance the level of understanding and meaning of telemedicine among stakeholders, new entrants researchers and students and eventually enabling a better quality of life.

Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 2024

Introduction: Telemedicine (TM) and teleconsultation services flourished during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission to avoid COVID-19 infection and physical contact. Many physicians switched to the virtual treatment mode and nearly all types of health disciplines were covered. Through this systematic review, the authors tried to explore the strengths and weaknesses of TM, identify the barriers to adopting TM by population, and explain the limitations of this healthcare delivery model. Methods and results: In this systematic review, 28 studies were included (> 53% high-quality studies) as eligible, where nearly 75% (n = 21) of the studies were from India, and the remaining 25% (n = 7) were from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Advice related to cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurological diseases were the most common among the health disciplines in which TM was used. A peak in teleconsultation was observed during the high transmission phase of COVID-19, although major queries were associated with existing health complications and comorbidities. Conclusion: Other than a few concerns regarding connectivity, privacy, and diagnosis, TM was in fact affordable, timesaving, feasible, and accurate, which ensured a highly satisfying experience among the participants (> 80%).