Prior to Covid-19, it was usual for hospitals in the West to allow incoming patients at emergency departments to first consult a clinician on screen to do a tele-triage. Here, a doctor or a clinician gathers information and even approves a discharge without taking up a bed or treatment room.

KIMSHEALTH, a leading integrated multi-specialty hospital based here, has launched a tele-triage facility in the midst of the second wave of Covid-19. Being offered free of cost, it helps in an emergency through real-time expert medical advice streamed via video calls.

Helpful for the elderly

The tele-triage will be especially helpful to the elderly, pregnant women and children, a spokesman for KIMSHEALTH had said at the time of launch a few weeks ago. .

MI Sahadulla, Group Chairman and Managing Director, said, “The service has been initially launched in Thiruvananthapuram, and plans are afoot to expand it to other KIMSHEALTH units in the State.”

Prameela Joji, Tele-Triage Coordinator, said, “This is particularly helpful for those living alone.”

Early days yet

These are early days, and of course the hospital gets what she describes as ‘loose’ or frivolous calls about fever of a child or acidity problem with an elder. “We tell them this is not an emergency. Nor do we prescribe any medicine for any reported ailment. We are here for helping with emergency services only.”

Published on May 24, 2021