Bengaluru: The public visiting any government hospitals can be seen waiting for a doctor or standing in a long queue, not getting a skilled specialist at the right time. With the good intention of solving many such problems, the recently established smart virtual clinics under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Smart City project have received good response from the people.
Smart City provides its citizens with necessary infrastructure, good quality of life, clean and sustainable environment, using technology to consult with skilled specialists in the primary health centres of the city and providing good health to the poor. 28 smart virtual clinics are being provided for free treatment in different parts of the city, which is beneficial to most of the patients including the poor.
These clinics have been started in a total of 28 places in the city including Kodihalli, Ganganagar, Lingarajapuram, Sultanpalya, Ashokanagar, Vasanthnagar, Gavipuram Guttahalli, Bapuji Nagar, J. P. Nagar, Mahalakshmi Layout, Kamakshipalya, and Sahakar Nagar.
Also, the Central Clinical Command Center established at Sadashivanagar in the city has a team of specialist doctors who consult online with patients coming to the Smart Virtual Clinics established in the primary health centrea of the city. Here Cardiology, ENT Ophthalmology, Dermatology, General Medicine, Endocrinology, Paediatrics, Psychiatry and General Surgery are consulted and consulted online.
Digital Stethoscope, Sigmamanometer, Glucometer, ECG, Dermascope, Inspection Camera-EST Ophthalmoscope, Fundus Camera, Ophthalmic Refraction Unit, Schirmer Tear Teststrip, Snellen’s Chart, Jaeger Chart, Ishihara Chart, Digital X-Ray, Scanner and examining chair equipment are available in these clinics.
The Central Clinical Command Centre at Sadashiva Nagar in the city is staffed by 10 skilled specialists. Smart Virtual Clinics set up in primary health centers in 28 areas of the city are equipped with various technological tools. If the patients visit the clinic, the specialists from the central clinical command center will examine, consult and treat them through an online video call. This avoids the problem of traveling to distant hospitals. Also, state-of-the-art equipment such as cardiac, eye examination, ECG, X-ray and all organ tests can be found to diagnose problems digitally.
“Smart virtual clinics have received good response from people. At present 10 medical specialists are working and more doctors will be appointed in the coming days. Also, smart virtual clinics will be started in other areas of the city with more funding under the Smart City scheme said,” Dr. K. V. Trilokchandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP.