PTCL To Provide VPN Services For Telemedicine Project

by Ahmed Ali

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) will provide Business Virtual Private Network (VPN) services to facilitate telemedicine project for public hospitals across Pakistan through the Electronic Government Directorate.

The Electronic Government Directorate has awarded PTCL with initial 15 sites for 1mb & 2mb DSL VPNs till June 2012 and it will add more hospitals in due course.

PTCL infrastructure will facilitate tele-medicine services like tele-diagonistics, tele-consultation, and treatment for ENT, skin, chest, cardiology, and psychiatry. Specialists will be able to examine the patients, their medical history, test results, and vital signs like heartbeat, blood pressure, temperature, breathing etc by using electronic medical facilities over PTCL ICT infrastructure and VPN services. PTCL shall also facilitate in providing advance services like tele-surgery, tele-mentoring, and tele-critical care (Emergency, ICU).

Telemedicine project aims to provide telemedicine facility to the grass root level population as a part of ‘proof of concept technology demonstration’ programme.

This telemedicine facility will connect the district hospitals and health centres with super Specialty hospitals in major cities to provide expert consultation to the needy and underserved population. People living in rural/ remote areas of Pakistan will be able to seek advice and treatment from specialist doctors of major hospitals in big cities.

The project will also contribute towards professional development of doctors working in rural/remote hospitals, who will be able to get guidance, advice, and training in advance diagnostics and treatment methods through interaction with specialist doctors in urban hospitals.