Mobile Healthcare in India
The practice or the process of utilizing health and medical facilities through mobile devices is called as Mobile Healthcare(mHealth). This technology has taken it's place largely in nations like Africa, America, China and Bangladesh. mHealth is not only available through mobiles, but also through any wireless like Tablets, Laptops, PDAs monitors for any health service to be provided or for any health related information to be gained. This technology though was introduced for developed nations, is more highly now used by many developing nations due to the rapid growth of cellphone usage that has increased even in low-income nations.
In India, though there are various advanced technologies used in the Health sector, the accessibility to the technology is low. A nation with more of middle and low-income people, the mobile healthcare has been a step towards the betterment of primary health care in rural and urban slums. In 2005, upon a partnership with UK, India introduced a mHealth technology where a person's vital signals including complex ECG could be transferred to any clinic or hospital nearby through mobile phones. This project has been taken into a serious account and has already started its way to further implication across the nation. Now, at a time where such developments are taking place increasing the ratio of gap in patient-doctor interaction, how much can India benefit through this advance technology in the fields of health and technology?
Considering the fact that the mHealth has a major drawback when it comes to authenticity of the information provided, (for example, connecting phone to Bluetooth for healthcare information will lead one to chaos and confusion), India is another country with the highest usage of mobile and mobile services/apps. The accessibility to medical services/information through mHealth will be wide, provided the information given is original. Introduction of mHealth has had a negative impact on the doctor-patient relationship in recent years, urban D-P ratio is 1:8 and in rural the ratio is very steep. Any emergency situation can be easily handled now with a medicare app in mobile instead of waiting for the ambulance to arrive fighting the heavy traffic on Indian roads. Mobile healthcare facility is not only used to provide health services but also to inform and keep the public alert about any initiative in the medical field across the nation. The introduction Doctor SMS is Kerala where information regarding polio drops given by government are passed through this app to every mobile, is one such example.
In India, though there are various advanced technologies used in the Health sector, the accessibility to the technology is low. A nation with more of middle and low-income people, the mobile healthcare has been a step towards the betterment of primary health care in rural and urban slums. In 2005, upon a partnership with UK, India introduced a mHealth technology where a person's vital signals including complex ECG could be transferred to any clinic or hospital nearby through mobile phones. This project has been taken into a serious account and has already started its way to further implication across the nation. Now, at a time where such developments are taking place increasing the ratio of gap in patient-doctor interaction, how much can India benefit through this advance technology in the fields of health and technology?
Considering the fact that the mHealth has a major drawback when it comes to authenticity of the information provided, (for example, connecting phone to Bluetooth for healthcare information will lead one to chaos and confusion), India is another country with the highest usage of mobile and mobile services/apps. The accessibility to medical services/information through mHealth will be wide, provided the information given is original. Introduction of mHealth has had a negative impact on the doctor-patient relationship in recent years, urban D-P ratio is 1:8 and in rural the ratio is very steep. Any emergency situation can be easily handled now with a medicare app in mobile instead of waiting for the ambulance to arrive fighting the heavy traffic on Indian roads. Mobile healthcare facility is not only used to provide health services but also to inform and keep the public alert about any initiative in the medical field across the nation. The introduction Doctor SMS is Kerala where information regarding polio drops given by government are passed through this app to every mobile, is one such example.
mHealth's future in India can be analysed to have a growth in the upcoming years as the users of smart phones and smart apps is increasing at a rapid pace in the nation. With the changing lifestyle of India, public is more conscious about health and fitness today, people today prefer to get effective information as quick as possible instead of waiting to fix an appointment with doctors in clinic on a fine Sunday morning. With the use of mHealth not only has it been able to provide immediate services but also has successfully been able to keep the society aware of any new illness and its remedies.
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