Foundation Day Issue | July 2020 The Bengal Obstetric and Gynaecological Society Website: www.bogs.org.in | Email: [email protected] Telemedicine in Current ObGyn Practice Distance means so little when someone means so much and effort especially of rural patients, as they need not travel ~ Tom McNeal long distances for obtaining consultation and treatment. In this type of scenario, even beyond the pandemic, telemedicine isasters and pandemics pose unique challenges to can provide an optimal solution for not just providing timely Dproviding health care. With 500+ million smart phone users (December 2019 data) India was conveniently poised inconvenience of the patient and family associated with travel. to embrace telemedicine as an important component to and faster access. It would also reduce financial costs and healthcare services. The WFH culture propped up by the facility are many. Less staff employment and reallocation COVID pandemic has undoubtedly boosted the use of digital of responsibilitiesThe benefits of fortelemedicine those involved reaped in atproviding the health physical care technology in education and health care. When we shop care. There is higher likelihood of maintenance of records online, bank online, pay bills online, work online and documentation hence minimalizing the and even pray online can online medical help be likelihood of missing out on advice. Digital far behind? prescriptions have the advantage of a permanent Telemedicine is well suited for scenarios in record at subsequent visits and negates the which medical practitioners can evaluate and doctor hand writing woes many patients face. manage patients without physically attending to Written documentation also increases the legal them. Developed initially and directed towards protection of both parties. reaching out to rural and remote geographical The limitation of telemedicine which areas with limited access to specialist care, most old school colleagues would point out telemedicine has gently crept into all aspects of are the dangers of diagnosing an ailment health care delivery. without physical examination and losing out on the touch and physical presence so telemedicine. The obvious advantage during essential to heal. The counter point would be the Therepandemic are is restrictinga number physical of benefits visits thus of the gradual drift observed over the last few limiting exposing both health care workers decades to increasingly rely on laboratory and patients to contagious infections. Vulnerable population investigations for a ‘clinical’ diagnosis. The video call option through teleconsultation would be considered by many to iatrogenic COVID-19 exposure during a clinician visit and be a reasonable substitute to a physical meet. Nevertheless postponingshould not haveneeded to facecare. the Telemedicine difficult choice can between provide risking rapid it needs to be highlighted that some inherent limitations of access to medical practitioners who may otherwise not this technology will need to be accepted amidst the immense be immediately available in person. In India, providing in- person healthcare is challenging, particularly given the large In ObGyn practice triage is an important step in geographical distances and limited resources. One of the teleconsultation.benefits. If the patient complains of symptoms which major advantages of telemedicine can be for saving of cost need immediate treatment she should be advised first-aid, life 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 9 Page 10 BOGSMessages Times District Corner: Up, Close and Personal Team BOGS BOGSCON 45 1 Paschim Bardhaman FOGSI Prizes measuring measures and directed to attend principles mentioned in the guidelines need Managing Committee the emergency department of the hospital. to be followed. Thereafter undergoing and 2019-2020 This could include persistent heavy bleeding, qualifying such a course would be essential acute abdominal pain or other symptoms prior to practice of telemedicine. President: suggestive of requiring immediate medical Dr Dibyendu Banerjee attention. prescription in a teleconsultation however Hony Secretary: Some antenatal visits and many a e-prescriptionThere is no fixedneeds format to be forprovided issuing toa Dr M M Samsuzzoha gynaecological follow up patients can the patient at the end of every consultation. President Elect: comfortably be managed by teleconsultation. It is also to be noted that teleconsultation Dr Bhaskar Pal New patients initially may pose a challenge guidelines do not provide for consultations Immediate Past President: Dr Sudhir Adhikari to some clinicians however the same outside the jurisdiction of India. RMPs may Immediate Past Secretary: clinical acumen in establishing a diagnosis, use any telemedicine tool suitable for carrying Dr Basab Mukherjee extending a treatment protocol and advising out technology-based patient consultation Sr Vice President: supporting laboratory investigations would e.g. telephone, video, devices connected Dr Shyamal Sett apply. over LAN, WAN, Internet, mobile or landline 2nd Vice President: phones, social media forums like WhatsApp, Dr Abinash Chandra Ray the board of governors in supersession of Facebook Messenger etc. or mobile apps 3rd Vice President: the TheMedical field Councilof telemedicine of India got along a boost with when NITI or internet based digital platforms for Dr Mausumi De Banerjee Hony Treasurer: AAYOG published the Indian Telemedicine telemedicine or data transmission systems Dr Ramprasad Dey Guidelines 2020 in March 2020. (https:// like skype/ email/ fax etc. Hony Jt Secretary: www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Telemedicine.pdf). Telemedicine holds great promise and Dr Biswajyoti Guha will continue to grow and be adopted by Hony Clinical Secretary: the legality of teleconsultation. more healthcare practitioners and patients Dr Amit Basu TheThe guidelines purpose clarifiedof these guidelinesIndia’s position is to give on in a wide variety of forms. According to Hony Jt Clinical Secretary: practical advice to doctors so that all services a McKinsey Digital India report released Dr Tulika Jha and models of care used by doctors and last year, telemedicine models possess the MC Members: Dr Abhinibesh Chatterjee health workers are encouraged to consider technical capability to handle up to half of the Dr Alpana Chhetri the use of telemedicine as a part of normal in-person outpatient consultations in India. Dr Bipasa Sen practice. Urgent action is required to transform health Dr Bulbul Raichaudhuri The Telemedicine Guidelines require care delivery and scale up our systems by Dr Chaitali Datta Ray doctors to maintain the same standard of unleashing the power of digital technology. Dr Debasmita Mandal care during a teleconsultation as they would It is important for all clinicians to adapt and Dr Dipanwita Banerjee during an in-person consultation. It provides embrace this new technology in our clinical Dr Jayita Chakrabarti norms and protocols relating to physician- practice. Dr Mahua Bhattacharya Dr Nirmala Pipara patient relationship; issues of liability and Dr Saktirupa Chakraborty negligence; evaluation, management and The secret of change is to focus all of Dr Sandip Kumar Sengupta treatment; informed consent; continuity your energy not on fighting the old, but on Dr Seetha Ramamurthy Pal of care; referrals for emergency services; building the new ~ Socrates Dr Sebanti Goswami medical records; privacy and security of the Dr Suranjan Chakrabarti patient records and exchange of information; —Dr. Basab Mukherjee Dr Susmita Chattopadhyay prescribing; and reimbursement; health MBBS (Vellore) MD (Vellore) MC Members (Jr): education and counselling. FRCOG (London) FICOG Dr Mariam Khanam Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Sanjib Dutta An online program will be developed and made available by the MCI. A mandatory Dr Sujoy Dasgupta FOGSI Vice President Elect 2021 online course needs to be completed by all Special Invitees: Organising Secretary AICOG 2022 Dr Alok Basu registered medical practitioners (RMPs) FIGO Regional Coordinator (South Asia) Dr Kalpana Sarkar intending to provide online consultation Safe Abortion Committee Dr Soma Basak AICC RCOG East Zone Fellow Representative BULLETIN & within three years of its notification. Till then, WEBSITE COMMITTEE Advisors: New Members Annual Members Dr Sudip Chakravorty Dr Sukanta Misra Dr Jayita Mukhopadhyay, Dr Tulika Roy, Dr Anita Bhattacharyya, Dr Lubui Chairpersons: Dr Chaitali Datta Ray Soren, Dr Saheli Kapat, Dr Ritu Sharma, Dr Avik Ghosh, Dr Ritu Sharma, Dr Susmita Chattopadhyay Dr Neetu Kumari, Dr Paromita Roy, Dr Swarnalika Samaddar, Dr Sumona Secretaries: Dr Rajasish Majumder Ghosh, Dr Prithwish Karan, Dr Shalini Rakesh, Dr Tanushree Mahata, Dr Dr Poushali Sanyal Paromita Roy, Dr Swarnalika Samaddar, Dr Sumona Ghosh, Dr Prithwish Members: Dr Sujata Datta Karan, Dr Neetu Kumari, Dr Ritwik Ghosh Halder, Dr Saunak Maji, Dr Ifra Dr Ayesha Khan Iqbal, Dr Binita Kumar, Dr Apurba Pailan, Dr Asim Sarkar, Dr Namrata VP in Charge: Dr Abinash Chandra Ray Bhattacharyya 2 BOGSTimes President Speaks ... Hony. Secretary Speaks ... Respected Teachers, Seniors, Dear Seniors, Colleagues and Friends Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s a pleasure and honor to greet you as the President of your In thisHope extraordinary this will find crisisyou inmy good thoughts spirit and society. Hope you and your family prayershealth in are this with difficult all of timeyou in of the Covid BOGSIAN 19 pandemic. family. are well. We are maybe going It’s just over 14