300 docs register for telemedicine

TNN | Apr 8, 2020, 04:10 IST

Bhubaneswar: Over 300 doctors come forward to provide voluntary services to people with Covid-19 symptoms through the telemedicine helpline (14410 number), which would be made functional by the state government from 11 am on Wednesday.
Anyone, who is suffering from Covid-19 symptoms like cough, fever, tiredness and respiratory problems can dial the telemedicine helpline to seek medical advices from qualified doctors, who have registered themselves to provide medical advices to the suspected Covid-19 cases. It is a free service.
The telemedicine helpline is besides the 104 helpline set up by the health department to register names of persons returning from Covid-19 affected areas within and outside the country and to give medical advice to people, who are in quarantine. The 104 helpline number also facilitates general medical assistance to general public.
The 104 helpline is now getting 12,000 to 14,000 calls a day. Since the number of positive cases are increasing, there is an apprehension among people over Covid-19 symptoms. “We expect that the number of calls to the existing helpline may go up in the next few days. Keeping that in mind, we have decided to launch a new telemedicine helpline number (14410),” said works secretary Krishan Kumar, who monitors functioning of the 104 helpline.
A Delhi-based firm (Step One) has developed the telemedicine platform, which is a interactive voice response (IVR) system-based module that enables the dial pad for identification, segmentation and routing of callers to the appropriate persons.
“When people dial to the telemedicine number, it will seek certain queries about their travel history, symptoms and other details. Based on the response of the dialler, a history-sheet will be prepared. The doctors (whoever will be available at that time) will be alerted about the call. The doctors through a mobile app will immediately dial the person concerned and prescribe him medicines or advice him to go for Covid-19 test,” said Kumar.
The new platform will give a better experience to the people seeking medical advices at the moment, said Kumar adding the Medical Council of India has relaxed the guidelines for telemedicine consultations in view of the Covid-19 situation.
Both the 104 helpline number and telemedicine platforms are interlinked, said an official source.