Current Status of Telemedicine Network in India and Future Perspective

Abstract

India is a vast country with more than 1.15 billion population occupying an area of 3 million sq km. It consists of 29 states and 6 Union Territories governed by a federal system. There is no national health insurance policy for the country. Government supported healthcare delivery follows a three tier system and is the primary responsibility of each state. It has been observed that there is a great deal of disparity in quality and access to healthcare between urban and rural regions. This can be bridged through telemedicine technology if the tool is integrated into existing healthcare delivery system. Both government and private sector have been actively participating in tele-health programmes. India is starting to make strides in the fields of telemedicine and e-Health. The telemedicine market has witnessed spectacular growth during the last two years mainly because of timely convergence in the areas of Information technology, Communication & Healthcare along with launching of central e-health schemes including telemedicine by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.