CHANDIGARH, 29.11.24-TELEMEDICON 2024, hosted by the Department of Telemedicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Telemedicine Society of India, Chandigarh Chapter, commenced on November 28, 2024. With the theme "Virtual Healthcare and the Role of AI," the conference has garnered attention from all healthcare and technology experts from across India. Dr. Biman Saikia, chairperson started the first session on AI in Healthcare. Renowned urologist Dr. Sunil Shroff delivered an enlightening talk on "Intelligent Medicine: How AI is Shaping the Future of Healthcare" followed by Dr. Alok Modi who discussed the ethical dimensions and challenges posed by AI in healthcare, and Dr. Kim R., who elaborated on AI applications in ophthalmology.
The plenary session on Trajectory of Telemedicine by Dr. Meenu Singh, emphasizing the rapid evolution of telemedicine, particularly during the pandemic. The session was chaired by Dr. K. K. Talwar, Ex-Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh and Dr. Prem Nair, Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences.
Further sessions focused on Telemedicine in Health Promotion, Prevention, and Lifestyle Management, and Rural Telemedicine, which was delivered by Dr. Shriram V. Kulkarni from Mumbai, who shared insights into leveraging AI accessibility in underserved regions.
The key attraction of the conference was live demonstration of Drone technology to deliver drugs/medicinesin the Health Care Sector. With these innovations, healthcare providers can enhance their service delivery models, especially in rural or hard-to-reach areas, ultimately leading to better patient care and health outcomes.
The Tele-Ophthalmology Society of India (TOSI) included talks from Dr. T. Senthil on business models for tele-ophthalmology, and innovative methods for early detection of diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma by Dr. B. N. R. Subudhi.
The next session was on Telemedicine for Elder Care by Dr. Rajeev Agarwal and Dr. Thanga Prabhu, which focused on monitored eldercare and innovative geriatric telehealth practices. The day concluded with several award-winning papers on critical topics by young professionals. The Inaugural Ceremony was held in the evening, presided by Shri Madhukar Kumar Bhagat, Joint Secretary, E-Health Section, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, as the esteemed chief guest, with Prof. K. K. Talwar and Prof. R. K. Ratho, Dean of Academics, PGIMER Chandigarh as Guests of Honour.