Bridging Health Divide Between Rural and Urban Areas –Satellite Based Telemedicine Networks in India

Abstract

‘Telemedicine’ is a service reaching the medical expertise available at urban, super speciality hospitals to rural and remote hospitals through the integration of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) with Medical Sciences. Realising the health divide between rural and urban areas in India, and continuing its legacy of ‘space for the people’, the Indian Space Agency, (Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO) initiated Telemedicine programme in 2001 for reaching healthcare to the un-served and the under-served population. Detailed interviews with the doctors utilising/providing the services, survey through questionnaire to a sample of the practioners as well as to patients and review of different project reports have been used to assess the success and utilisation of the facilities created. It has been brought out from the study that, these efforts have started showing results in the form of user satisfaction; the major determinant of success of any service/product. If the growing popularity of the programme and growth of network are visible indications of success, ISRO’s Telemedicine Network of 336 nodes (as of Decemeber 2008) can be viewed as a successful initiative. More than 300,000 Tele-consultations are done including some life saving instances. The chapter discusses the systematic approach followed by ISRO in the areas of – programme planning, managing and implementation, in line with the socio-economic situation of the country and draws a roadmap for future, for bridging the health divide, and delineates the plans for integration of different stake holders. The successful experience of SATcom (Satellite Communication) based Telemedicine Programme, can serve as a model for such programmes in the developing countries.