Health is wealth – this proverb has been a major stronghold in thorough development of civilization and society. Today, healthcare has become the epicenter of growth models of economies across the world. As per Statista, the global expenditure on medicine has already crossed USD 1.14 Trillion in 2017. The continuous innovations and inventions in the field of medicine have facilitated the progress and last decade has seen the emergence of E-Clinics and E-Health. The development of E-Clinics is encompassing the entire healthcare process with the help of continually developing technologies.

Transforming healthcare in remote areas with ICT

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become the backbone of the health-tech evolution of present era. ICT equipped Mobile Healthcare Delivery is the latest stage of healthcare evolution across the world. IBEF has speculated that the Indian hospital industry will reach USD 132.84 Billion by 2022 and E-clinics will take a greater share in the future expansion.

The day-to-day operations of medical practice and doctor consultation have reached the farthest corners of geographies through the concept of E-clinics. People from distant rural areas to tier-II and tier-III cities have gained access to specialist doctors in metro cities. With an increase in internet access and greater network coverage, telecommunication between doctors and patients through E-clinics have not just facilitated quality healthcare but have also led to cost reduction in healthcare expenses. The concept of telemedicine through E-clinics is making lives healthier across the country.

Apart from the ambitious government project of ‘Ayushman Bharat’, a lot of private players have also entered the healthcare industry, availing teleconsultations for patients in the comfort of their residing areas.    

Regular primary checkups and post surgery follow-ups

Whether it is Regular Medical checkup for identification of CDs and NCDs in primary stage or Post surgery follow-ups for a complete cure, E-clinics have turned as one of the most beneficial medical innovation in the last decade. Both communicable diseases (CDs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) can be monitored and treated from E-clinics through advanced medical diagnosis equipment. In a scenario, where people are devoid of quality healthcare infrastructure, E-clinics are taking telemedicine, teleconsultation, e-prescribing, mHealth, and healthcare informatics under purview to deliver quality medical facilities to patients living in remote areas.

Today, regular health checkups at E-clinics can help in early diagnosis and timely treatment of various ailments. In fact, the patients undergoing surgical treatments are also relying on E-clinics for post-operative care and saving themselves from travel burdens.

Recording health vitals on EHRs for precision medicine

E-clinics and mobile health units have become the most efficient tools in recording health vitals on EHRs for precision medicine.The medical history of patients recorded on Electronic health records (EHRs) will help doctors in analyzing the diseases and prescribing treatment with greater accuracy. E-clinics have also strengthened with various technological tools viz. clinical decision support, patient engagement tools, computerized provider order entry, laboratory and medical imaging information systems, health information exchanges, and advanced medical diagnosis devices.

Effective, preventive, safe and easily accessible healthcare from specialist doctors

Direct interaction between doctor and patient through E-clinics not just ensures privacy but also avoids risks of infections. The expert advice from best doctors or multi-specialty hospitals in metros can reach patients in remote areas through telemedicine facility at E-clinics. This can be a real life-saver for people looking for quality healthcare services.

The processes have been proven successful in helping patients in a safe and secure environment. Efficient treatment and patient satisfaction have notably increased in the past few years with an increase in E-clinic services across the world. Another advantage of E-clinics is the safety of patients and doctors from communicable infections, which are common at community health centers and large hospitals because of large crowds.

Future of E-Clinics with technological evolution

While E-Clinics have started changing the healthcare industry since its emergence, there is still scope of development in the healthcare field. The continually churning wheels of tech innovations are driving healthcare advancements also. The new concepts of cybermedicine and innovations of self-monitoring healthcare devices and wearable healthcare devices will bring a new dawn in the healthcare domain. Economies are also working on a public-private partnership to increase health education and patient education for self-diagnosis. Inspired by their motto, “Committed to Excellence”, VBRI is dedicated to providing an integrated intelligent healthcare delivery system to serve the common people of India by offering them an accurate and cost-effective treatment procedure at their home.

The evolution of health IT tools and other medical breakthroughs will further facilitate quality treatment through E-clinics. E-clinics are surely going to be at the forefront of future healthcare, helping humanity to lead quality lives.