RESPIRE PhD study
Feasibility of using a teleconsultation facility (Micro-Health Centre) in the management of chronic respiratory diseases in remote rural areas.
As part of the Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (RESPIRE) program, this PhD study by Rutuja Patil is based in India.
Background
The Digital India program launched by the Indian government envisions to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Teleconsultation facilities focused on chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) would be a step towards creating a platform for digital health.
The Micro-Health Centre (MHC) based at Vadu Rural Health Program, KEM Hospital Research Centre in Pune, is a ready-to-use integrated health system for delivery of community-based primary health care. MHC generates medical data using a cloud-enabled healthcare database management system.
The feasibility of using MHC in the management of CRD in a resource constrained remote rural area is a concern. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility by exploring barriers to and facilitators of successful implementation of teleconsultation, and to understand the stakeholders' perception of teleconsultation.
Research question
Can teleconsultation at Micro-Health Centre attain management of CRD in rural areas where medical expertise is not available?
Objectives
Primary objective
To demonstrate the feasibility of using a well-established teleconsultation facility (Micro-Health Centre) in management of CRD in a resource constrained remote rural area.
Secondary objectives
- Strengthening the well-established teleconsultation facility by adding modern technology for diagnosis of CRD.
- To test the applicability of using diagnostics tools as decided through consensus approach for remote management of CRD.
- To explore barriers to and facilitators of successful implementation of teleconsultation at MHC in management of CRD in a resource constrained remote rural area.
- To understand the perception of teleconsultation by the patients and health care providers.
- To estimate cost for service provision using teleconsultation for management of CRD.
Additional information
Vadu Rural Health Program, KEM Hospital Research Centre in Pune, India
| Funder | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) |
| Supervisors | Professor Brian McKinstry, Dr Karen Fairhurst, Dr Sanjay Juvekar |
| PhD student | Rutuja Patil |