Teleradiology in Tripura: Effectiveness of a Telehealth Model for the Rural Health Sector

Abstract

With the aim of facilitating early diagnosis and improving health care outcomes in the rural areas of northeast India, Teleradiology Solutions in Bangalore, Karnataka established an alliance with 26 Community Healthcare Centers (CHC), District (DH), and Sub-district (SDH) hospitals located over 3000 km away in Tripura. Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images of radiographs of patients from the sites were uploaded to a cloud-based Radiology Information System and Picture Archiving and Communication System (RIS-PACS) for interpretation by expert radiologists at a Teleradiology reporting hub in Bangalore. Over a period of 3 years, starting from January 2018, 78622 studies were interpreted via teleradiology. All age groups and study types were included. The mean turnaround time (TAT) for the report to reach the site once the images had been received in Bangalore for all studies was 3.19 hours (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.22 - 3.16). This meant that patients could consult their physician with the report on the same day, enabling delivery of optimal care at the same visit. We conclude that teleradiology has proven to be a value-added service in rural healthcare in the remote North East of India.