CoviCare: Current Trends and Challenges of Telemedicine in India: A Case Study on Patient Satisfaction.

Abstract

The Indian economy has been witnessing remarkable economic growth in recent times, but the increasing healthcare overheads are still a major challenge. Telemedicine is a distant health service that uses electronic methods to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease and damage, as well as to conduct research and educate health care practitioners. Because of the diversified geography, challenging terrain, and a large number of people, it helps to bridge the gap between resources and demand in the healthcare system. It provides a chance for successful collaboration between primary and secondary healthcare centers, as well as reaching out to the rural masses. The Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big data science have emerged as promising technologies. All patient data may be transferred to the cloud for continued monitoring, which can then be consulted by medical specialists at any time and from anywhere. With the increasing use of cyberspace for teleconsultation, data storage, data protection, and confidentiality obligations become imperative. The Telemedicine Guidelines of India (2020) are the first step in standardizing teleconsultation services in India. A case study was conducted to determine the level of satisfaction among the patients from the telemedicine aspect. A sample size of 100 individuals was collected on various parameters namely, age, marital status, education, gender, income, income category, and telemedicine satisfaction. IBM’s SPSS tool was used to understand the statistical aspects. In almost all cases, the survey showed that the patients had good feedback which shows that telemedicine is the way forward where patients can consult with doctors in the comfort of their homes instead of visiting clinics. The goal of the chapter is to explore the current state of telemedicine in India, as well as its uses, problems, and future potential.