The government launched a telemedicine app called ‘e-Sanjeevani OPD’ in April. The service is a joint venture of the centre and the states.
The service is free and anyone can consult a doctor by connecting through a mobile, laptop or computer. Online consultations are turning out to be a blessing, especially when hospital visits are risky because of the pandemic.
Consultations cover a wide range of specialities, including ophthalmology, orthopaedics, and dentistry. A team of Metrolife reporters did a reality check of the app, and here is what we found.
Case 1: Get some tests done
Issue: Backache
Department: General OPD
Wait time: 20 min
When the patient logged in, the app showed that eight doctors were online and busy. Dr Sapna was eventually assigned, and the consultation lasted six minutes. The patient complained of chronic backache and body aches, and the doctor advised her to stop taking painkillers advised by other doctors, and recommended a slew of blood tests. She said the patient could be anaemic and the blood test would help in the diagnosis. The call ended with a prescription for a pain reliever (to be taken when experiencing increased pain only), posted in the app’s ‘Past Prescriptions’ section.
Case 2: Poor connectivity
Issue: Migraine
Department: General OPD
Wait time: 20 min over 2 days
The patient was on a waiting list with three patients. In a couple of minutes, it became four. After waiting for 10 minutes, the patient gave up. The next day, she logged in with a new token number and waited with three others. In 10 minutes, a doctor was assigned, but he couldn’t hear properly on the video call. The doctor waited for a couple of minutes and then placed the patient on hold again. Soon, the app sent the patient back to the waiting list.
Case 3: Try surgery
Department: Dermatology
Wait time: 15 min
The app shut down a few times and the patient was logged out. When she logged back in, and her turn came after 15 minutes. The doctor had to move around to be able to hear her. The patient has a keloid on her left ear and the doctor asked questions about it, and wanted to know if she had consulted a cosmetologist earlier. The doctor prescribed surgical removal or intralesional injections every three weeks. The patient asked where the procedure could be done, and the doctor recommended she try a medical college as treatment is cheaper there.
Case 4: Didn’t get a doctor
Department: Psychiatry
Wait time: 110 min
The app didn’t download until the phone cache was cleared. The patient found the registration process simple. She sought a psychiatric consultation. No doctor was available. The app doesn’t work in the background, so each time the patient left the app, she had to log in again. Despite a wait of two hours, no doctor appeared.
Case 5: No room for questions
Department: Dermatology
Wait time: 5 min
For this patient, after entering the waiting room, the ‘Call now’ option popped up, and said ‘Due to an unavoidable reason, the doctor could not respond to your call. Please try again.’ After trying twice, she was taken to a chat box with the doctor, where she raised her concerns about dandruff and pimples on her forehead. After questions about earlier treatment, a few minutes of silence followed. A window then showed that the consultation was over. In the prescription section, the doctor had advised a lotion for the scalp for three days, and two creams. He asked her to call again after two weeks. The app did not allow her to ask any questions.
How the app works
Step 1: Register with mobile number, using OTP. Fill in a form and request a token. Upload health records.
Step 2: You get a patient ID and token through SMS. Log in.
Step 3: Enter the waiting room, and wait till doctor’s details and ‘Call now’ appear on your screen. Initiate a video call.
Step 4: Once you see the doctor, explain your problem. Doctor talks to you and posts an instant e-prescription.
When to call
In Karnataka, General OPD is available on the app Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 5 pm, and on Sundays and holidays, from 9 am to 1 pm. Specialist OPD is available Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm. The app has completed 20,941 consultation hours.
Advantages
The app is fairly easy to use.
You can attend to other work as you wait.
It is free. Also, no travel costs.
No fear of infection.
Concerns
Steady Internet (min speed 1 mbps) required.
If pushed to the background, app logs itself out.