Customer Case Study
Hospital Improves Patient Access to Healthcare
and Improves Lives
RxDx Hospital in India uses Cisco HealthPresence to reach patients in rural areas and
address the gap in healthcare delivery
The Challenge
India, with its uneven distribution of essential services and outdated infrastructure, has many pockets where
development is a distant dream. Rural India accounts for more than 60 per cent of the total population, and the
urban-rural disconnect is felt most in healthcare. Citizens in rural areas typically face hardship in accessing
intensive or consultative healthcare beyond what is available at local government health centres or through efforts
by NGOs.
Solution Highlights
A quick comparison of the healthcare spend in India as a
● Deployment: March 2011
● Volume: 20-25 patients per day,
Total number of patient consultations = 3000+
● Time per patient: 7-10 minutes
percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP) shows that, at
● Catchment area: Patients come from 13 villages
nearby
● Clinical consultation examples: Skin diseases,
hypertension, cardiac lesions, diabetes, ADD
● Specialist consultants: Gynaecologist, Paediatric
Cardiologist, Internal medicine, General surgeon,
Child and adolescent psychiatrist, Paediatrician,
Orthopedician, Dermatologist and ENT
● Operation: 1 full-time medical coordinator to
schedule sessions and specialist consultation, as
well as monitor technology reviews and upgrades
the lowest by global standards, and, in a study, KPMG has
4.10 per cent, the figure is less than half that of the global
average (9.7 per cent). Healthcare resources also remain among
estimated that India has approximately 12 hospital beds and just
6 doctors for every 10,000 citizens, well below the global
average.
A situation like this calls for a technology-based intervention that,
while using the network, breaks down the urban-rural divide and
brings quality healthcare virtually to health centres and citizens
across the country.
The Trigger
In 2009, Raichur, a district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, saw flooding that resulted in over 135,000
families being rendered homeless. While the Government began re-housing and rehabilitating those who lost
homes or livelihood, a number of companies and people came forward with funds, and donation of time and
expertise. Cisco Systems India worked with the Government to build houses for residents of the area, and also
built a new health centre in a public-private partnership. The Cisco healthcare-focused visual collaboration system,
Cisco HealthPresence, was installed here, for residents to access consultation from doctors who were in other
locations.
The Solution
Using the network as the platform, the Cisco HealthPresence solution combines high-definition video, advanced
audio, and network-transmitted medical data to create an environment similar to a face-to-face visit with a doctor or
health specialist. This advanced visual collaboration solution enables the doctor or specialist to conduct a medical
consultation of the patient, with a nurse at the patient’s side in the health centre.
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*
The solution is capable of providing integration with third-party medical devices such as thermometer,
stethoscope, otoscope, BP monitors, ECG machines and radiology scanners. The solution itself comprises three
major components: Cisco video endpoints, the Cisco HealthPresence appliance, and the Cisco HealthPresence
connect server.
The Details
From implementation over two years ago, and initial patient visits of sometimes one per day, the Cisco
HealthPresence in Raichur, today handles more than 25 patients per day, with a growing number of repeat visits.
Each patient spends about 7 to 10 minutes with the doctor. The Government has made some basic medications
available, which are distributed to the patients by the nurse based on the doctor’s prescription.
Patients who have benefited from the system range from a few months of age to the elderly, and since installation,
the health centre has been able to diagnose multiple ailments, including an unusual case of tongue cancer, which
is being treated by specialists. In children, doctors have evaluated patient issues ranging from heart murmurs to
dermatologic skin lesions, rat bites and even attention deficit disorder (ADD).
With each patient visit, a database is built and maintained in RxDx hospital, wherein patient details and history, and
the treatment prescribed is recorded. The doctors can then leverage the patient information at hand when
consulting and track the progress of each patient.
Dr. Sunita Maheshwari, MD, a doctor who has played a key role in streamlining the solution, said: “The human
network is really brought to life by Cisco’s HealthPresence solution. Technology as an agent of social change - in
this case, inclusivity - is a goal that all technology platforms should aspire to. With this solution, patients now have
access to a specialist who will counsel them on how to manage the intricacies of their illness. The doctor too is able
to reach out to rural India and play an important role in alleviating their health problems.”
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The Benefit
The HealthPresence system now brings doctors and specialized medical attention to patients near the health
centre virtually, without the need for travel. Desktop conference access, too, is enabled, so that doctors can
allocate a certain amount of time each day to reach out to patients in these health centres, directly from their
offices.
Key Features
● Comprehensive, end-to-end solution: The video,
audio, and data capabilities create a real
consultation environment
● Higher access options and simplified interface:
Multiple endpoints are compatible with the system;
simple interface for easy set-up and use
● Connectivity across HealthPresence networks:
Can be quickly scaled to different endpoints at any
location on the network
● Improved productivity: Instant transfer of data and
information access, reduces consultation time, and
increases patient satisfaction
For a health centre, the Cisco HealthPresence solution is not a
static investment. The centre itself is elevated to a position of a
facilitator, and will, in time, be connected to a network of
specialists to be accessed based on the patients’ requirement at
the time.
With all the technological innovation that goes into such a system,
it translates into a benefit to the people only with usage. “As a
doctor, to see the growth in the number of patients each day
shows the real impact that technology such as Cisco
HealthPresence has on the lives of people in the communities
around us,” said Dr. Sunita Maheshwari.
*
Third-party medical devices are available only directly from manufacturer
or its resellers. Not available in all countries
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EDCS-1163800
Printed in USA
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C36-708306-01
09/12
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