In a groundbreaking initiative to revolutionize healthcare in Assam, the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati), Tata Medical & Diagnostics Ltd. (Tata MD), and the National Health Mission (NHM) Assam have come together to establish a Digital Nerve Centre – Command Centre (Hub) in the Kamrup district. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on December 1, 2023, marking the beginning of a transformative journey in public healthcare delivery.
An initiative to transform healthcare in Assam
The MoU signing event was graced by Shri Keshab Mahanta, Hon’ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Science and Technology, Information & Technology Departments in the Government of Assam. The collaboration aims to implement Tata MD’s Healthcare Model, focusing on augmenting healthcare delivery in the region through the establishment of a Digital Nerve Centre.
The project will be implemented in a phased manner, with the initial phase concentrating on the North Guwahati Block as a pilot project. The involvement of key stakeholders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as a strategic partner adds a significant dimension to the initiative, with a focus on sharing learnings and adapting innovative models to improve healthcare outcomes for women and children.
The Digital Nerve Centre – Command Centre (Hub) will be set up at the IIT Guwahati campus, with technical and infrastructure support from Tata MD. The pilot project will also involve the installation of Digital Nerve Centre (DiNC) components at various healthcare centers across Assam, including District Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Primary Health Centers, and Sub-centers.
Key components of the project include a cloud-based patient registration system, pre-planned outpatient consultation appointments, Tata MD’s HealthX platform for patient medical records, a centralized Concentric Data Repository (CDR) system, technology for virtual consultations, and a mobile-based DiNC application for healthcare workers. Additionally, a dashboarding tool for DiNC implementation will be deployed, contributing to a comprehensive and technology-driven healthcare ecosystem.
IIT Guwahati’s active participation involves providing office space for the center at no cost, managing operations, and conducting research to drive technological innovation in the healthcare domain. Prof. Parameswar K. Iyer, Dean PRBR, IIT Guwahati, expressed excitement about the collaboration, highlighting the unique example of industry, government, and academic institutions coming together for efficient healthcare delivery.
Shri Keshab Mahanta, in his remarks, expressed enthusiasm about the transformative Digital Nerve Centre Model and thanked Tata MD, IIT Guwahati, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their partnership. The project aims to bring advanced healthcare to households through technological interventions, promising better health outcomes, enhanced accessibility, and local employment opportunities.
Tata MD’s Healthcare Model focuses on continuous, connected, proactive, patient-centric, and closer-to-patient care services. The model introduces new layers such as network, platform, process, and people to provide end-to-end care coordination services. The collaboration with the Government of Assam’s Health & Family Welfare Department and other stakeholders aims to augment existing health programs for a holistic healthcare transformation.
In summary, the partnership between IIT Guwahati, Tata MD, NHM Assam, and the involvement of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation marks a significant step towards revolutionizing healthcare in Assam. The implementation of a Digital Nerve Centre promises to bring about positive changes in healthcare delivery, setting the stage for potential replication and scaling in other regions and states.
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