Health Tablets Proposed For Public Health In India

India has increased planned expenditure in healthcare to 2.5 % .  While this is a big jump from the previous 1% of GDP, do note that it is about 5% to 10% in most civilized countries. The Indian government is now betting big on technology and eHealth. Faced with shameful data collection practices, health ministry officials are now looking at using Tablets to improve collection of health data and also improve quality of healthcare service provided at peripheral areas. 

In the news almost simultaneously this week were 2 specialized tablets to be used for healthcare service providers in India.

The Kalam-Raju tablet is the result of collaboration between the former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and well known cardiologist Dr. B. Soma Raju of Care Foundation. This Kalam-Raju tablet will help physicians and certified nurse practitioners in rural areas access patient information, diagnostic tools and new treatment procedures. The tablet shall be out within 3 to 6 months.

Also unveiled this week was another  Android based Health tablet, the "Swasthya Slate"  reportedly capable of providing enough information to make clinical judgements. The tablet can record body temperature, conduct ECG, test blood sugar and blood pressure, measure heart rate and also test quality of water. This is the braibchild of Kanav Kahol, a US-returned Indian biomedical engineer and is being dubbed as the first-of-its kind diagnostic tool. Swasthya Slate is likely to be ready for operation in next three months. 

This is a demo of the Swasthya Slate to a class of medical officers in Odisha

Doctors Need To Plan Out Their Social Media Strategy

The Internet has really changed the way we deliver (and define) healthcare. As Social media becomes a synonym for the internet (much like email used to be once upon a time), Doctors need to take time to create a proper social media policy and plan to provide service through that channel.

Mayo Clinic has always taken a lead in adopting social media for healthcare. Check out this new video from them featuring Farris Timimi, M.D., Cardiologist and Medical Director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Social Media discussing the role and use of social media in health care.

Dr. Timimi shares that meeting the needs of today's patient requires adjusting to the new standard of physician-patient relationship. "I think what we're all seeing is a change in the relationship between patients and providers. The typical compact that we knew 20 years ago, where the provider guided therapy on their own, I think all of us are aware that's no longer the case. There's more and more interest in a shared process. These tools help us reach so many people and make that transition more of a reality. We can reach people everywhere and bring shared interactions to all parts of our practice. That's powerful!"

Related articles

• Social Media Policy Essentials For Healthcare Organizations (edrneelesh.blogspot.com)
• Why Hospitals Need To Have A Social Media Policy (edrneelesh.blogspot.com)
• How Is Social Media Used In Healthcare: Infographic (edrneelesh.blogspot.com)

It's Early Days, But Unprofessional Digital Behavior Of Doctors Is Rampant

With 32 % of the world population online, the use of social media in healthcare is becoming common place. Very often, the distinction between professional and personal use blurs on social media. Doctors need to be especially careful about maintaining the highest degree of professionalism in their online behavior.

So what are the common examples of violations of Professional online behavior for Doctors? In a survey over 68 medical boards across the United States, Greysen and his colleagues found that the top reported violations were:

1. Inappropriate contact with patients online (69 percent).
2. Inappropriate prescribing (63 percent). 
3. Misrepresentation of credentials or clinical outcomes (60 percent). 

In response to these violations, 71 percent of boards held formal disciplinary proceedings and 40 percent issued informal warnings resulting in serious actions such as license limitation (44 percent), suspension (29 percent) or revocation (21 percent).

Read:

Physician Misconduct Showing Up On the Internet

Global Trends In Lifestyles Are Changing Healthcare Delivery

The world is changing, and so is medical practice. The ubiquitous use of technology, poor dietary practices and a sedantary life is giving rise to a need for a different healthcare delivery mindset.

Check this cool video (after a long long time!)

Population changes, lifestyle diseases, and healthcare spending are forcing changes in how we deliver healthcare today. Barco Healthcare solutions drive efficiency throughout the hospital and help ensure quality care in the decades ahead.

• Predicting the Future of Health IT: How It Could Curb Medical Costs and Transform Healthcare Delivery (medgadget.com)
• Revolutionising Healthcare in Asia Through IT (pharma-iq.com)

Wikipedia Is The Most Popular Professional Web 2.0 Tool Among Doctors

Physicians are making increasing use of the social web. A recent study by  Insight Research Group (pdf) looked at use of social web by 300 primary care doctors in the first quarter of 2011, drawing equal numbers from Germany, Italy and the UK.

Here is the gist of the research.

• The agency found 69% of European physicians said they used some form of social media for work, whereas 85% of them made personal use of social media.
• Wikipedia to be the most popular destination there. 60% of doctors surveyed said they used Wikipedia professionally.
• After Wikipedia, the most popular sites were YouTube (used professionally by 18% of respondents ), Facebook (5.7%), LinkedIn (4.7%) and Twitter (1.3%).

Niche professional uses of community resources like Wikipedia, Youtube and Facebook is now finding acceptance within the professional medical circles. With more than 60,000 Indian doctors on Facebook out of an estimated total of 700,000 doctors in India, Expect to see a similar scenario in India within 2 to 3 years.

Related articles

• How Is Social Media Used In Healthcare: Infographic (edrneelesh.blogspot.com)
• International Social Media Trends (beingyourbrand.wordpress.com)