Telemedicine Helps Senior Citizens Get Easy Access To Doctors Amidst The Coronavirus Lockdown

Here is a list of telemedicine services being offered by several hospitals and healthcare providers to help senior citizens with health assistance during the Coronavirus lockdown. 

With the country declaring a nation-wide 21-days-long lockdown since March 25, 2020, to contain the spread of coronavirus that has already claimed 137 lives and infected 4,858 people in India (at the time of writing this), movement has become restricted for all, especially senior citizens. It is not safe for senior citizens to visit hospitals currently as they fall in the high-risk category of contracting the infection. With self-quarantine and social distancing measures in place, several hospitals and healthcare providers have introduced telemedicine services and online consultancies to enable senior citizens to consult doctors from their homes. Here is a handy and verified list:

MANIPAL HOSPITALS, BANGALORE

Manipal Hospitals has initiated telemedicine services since the inception of the lockdown and is using it to provide health education, counselling related to specific clinical conditions, advice regarding new investigations that need to be carried out, specific treatment by prescribing medicines, identifying an emergency situation and offering guidance on referral to hospitals. Their telemedicine facility will continue even after the removal of lockdown.

How does telemedicine service work?

. Covers various health specialities including Geriatric Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Cardiology, Psychology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology, Rheumatology, Oncology, Hematology and Neurosurgery.

. Ideal for follow-up cases where the history and clinical condition of the patient are already known to the doctor. It can be used for new cases also, provided the patient/caregiver can provide correct information regarding a patient’s condition including medications.

. The service includes video consultations designed exclusively for senior citizens so that they can reach out to doctors for any medical concern without having to travel to the hospital.

Functional round the clock in case of emergencies. Out Patient Department (OPD) consultation is functional from 8 AM to 8 PM every day.

To avail of their telemedicine service, you can call 18001025555/9606457127.

ASTER CMI HOSPITAL & ASTER RV HOSPITAL, BANGALORE

Aster CMI Hospital in Hebbal, Bangalore and Aster RV Hospital in JP Nagar Bangalore have launched their telemedicine services from April 2020 to help patients, particularly senior citizens, get hassle-free connectivity with the doctors amidst lockdown.

How does telemedicine service work?

. It covers Cardiology, Orthopaedic, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Urology, Nephrology, Gastro Sciences, Dermatology, Paediatrics, OBG and Nutrition.

. Patients can do consultations from home via laptop or desktop.

. This facility requires patients to make prior appointments by contacting the hospital number or via online booking.

. Timings of consultations are blocked based on the availability of the consultants.

In order to seek help, you can get in touch with Aster RV Hospital on 080 22040400 and Aster CMI Hospital on 080 43420100. For further information on the telemedicine services, you can visit their website: https://www.asterbangalore.com/.

APOLLO HOSPITALS, BANGALORE, HYDERABAD, CHENNAI, DELHI & KOLKATA

While Apollo had introduced its telemedicine app, Apollo 24/7 in Chennai and Hyderabad just six months back, the hospital has implemented the app in Bangalore after the announcement of the lockdown. The application has been modified and strengthened to tackle a rising number of requests for online consultation with doctors, especially from the senior citizens. Silver Talkies has been informed that very soon this app could be used by users in Delhi and Kolkata.

How does telemedicine service work?

. All health specialities are covered under the app including General Medicine, Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, ENT, Orthopaedics, Dermatology, Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and more.

. The app allows one to consult a doctor anytime, anywhere. It is a mobile-based app but also available on the desktop.

. To use this Android-based app the user needs to download it from the Google Play store, sign in and book a doctor prior to consultancy. The app will then block a specific time for the consultancy.

In order to log in from desktop, you can click here: https://www.apollo247.com/

In order to download the app on your mobile, please click here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apollo.patientapp

INDIAN PSYCHIATRY SOCIETY KARNATAKA CHAPTER

This is a free of cost initiative to address psychiatric issues arising due to Covid- 19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown status among all, especially senior citizens. This also includes alcohol and drug use related problems and particularly withdrawal symptoms resulting due to non-availability of alcohol and other drugs.

How does telemedicine service work?

. Via call, the psychiatrists will be addressing symptoms like anxiety, fearfulness, restless, acute suspiciousness regarding Covid, acute stress reaction, sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, sleep disturbances, substance abuse, disease anxiety, obsessions & compulsions, irrelevant thoughts and more.

. Alcohol and other substance use-related problems, especially withdrawal symptoms resulting due to non-availability of the same will be addressed on priority and appropriate guidance and counselling will be given to overcome the above problems. Information and referral to the nearest mental health setting will be provided if found necessary.

Someone seeking help should follow this list that has the psychiatrists’ name, contact numbers and the timings of their availability.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND NEUROSCIENCES (NIMHANS), BANGALORE

The premier mental health institute has also come up with its telemedicine service to offer help to those facing a wide variety of mental disturbances due to the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown.

How does telemedicine service work?

. Psychiatrists and counsellors from NIMHANS will address calls and help those suffering from anxiety, fearfulness, restlessness, acute suspiciousness regarding Covid; acute stress reaction, sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, sleep disturbances, substance abuse, disease anxiety, obsessions & compulsions, irrelevant thoughts and more.

. This is a pan-India facility and anyone from any place in the country can reach out to the doctors for help.

In order to get help for these concerns, you may call NIMHANS toll free number 080 4611 0007.