INTRODUCTION

• Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020 issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfareà Provide India's first comprehensive framework for teleconsultation.
• Only Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs)à Registered under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019 can offer teleconsultations.
• Patient information shared during teleconsultation is treated as Sensitive Personal Data or Information (SPDI) under the IT Rules, 2011.

Significance

• Addresses shortage of specialists in rural areas where over 75% of doctors are concentrated in urban regions.
• Helps lower out-of-pocket expenditure through affordable virtual consultations.
• Ensures continuity of healthcare during natural disasters and emergencies.
• Facilitates regular monitoring of diabetes, cardiac diseases, and other long-term conditions.
• Enhances healthcare access for women facing mobility and safety constraints.

Key Challenges

• Diagnostic Limitationsà Lack of physical examination may affect diagnostic accuracy.
• Workforce Constraintsà Insufficient training in tele-triage and referral systems.
• Prescription Restrictionsà Inability to prescribe Schedule X and certain controlled medicines remotely.
• Data Protection Gapsà Limited health-specific provisions under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
• Quality Assurance Issuesà Absence of standardized clinical outcome metrics across platforms.

Major Government Initiatives

• eSanjeevanià Free teleconsultation platform operating through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
• Tele-MANASà 24×7 multilingual mental health counselling and referrals.
• ONCONET Indiaà Connects cancer centres for specialist consultations.
• SeHATà Telemedicine services for armed forces personnel and veterans.