Telemedicine is the latest technology to reach rural populations. Telemedicine is the latest technology to reach remote populations. It connects the advanced human resources of urban areas via medical and communication technologies to remote populations with the goal of providing low-cost high-quality healthcare.

HMRI’s telemedicine is unique. It simultaneously patient-, doctor-, and operations-centric, and therefore accounts for the lack of education of the patient, the low skill levels of rural healthcare personnel, the lack of adequate infrastructure such as continuous internet bandwidth, and the lack of availability of medical specialists.

HMRI runs two telemedicine projects. In partnership with The MacArthur Foundation, USA, HMRI operates Asara in Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh. Asara was launched in August 2010 and provides antenatal and postnatal care to 140 tribal habitations.

In partnership with Aitharaju Foundation, HMRI launched Vallabhi Tele-Health Centre in August 2009. Medical specialties supported by Vallabhi Tele-Health Centre include:

•  ¤ General Physician
•  ¤ Obstetrician and Gynecologist
•  ¤ Pediatrician
•  ¤ Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist
•  ¤ Dentist; and
•  ¤ Dermatologist

Impact Telemedicine

•  ¤ 94% of the home deliveries were attended to by a trained person.


•  ¤ 96% of the institutional deliveries were attended to by a doctor.


•  ¤ 89% of the pregnant women received 3 field visits and one THC visit or more. ( Jan to July     2011 )


•  ¤ The proportion of deliveries at home was 84% and after HMRI’s intervention it has been     reduced to 79%.


•  ¤ Due to HMRI’s intervention the number of still births, intra-uterine deaths and abortions have     been reduced by nearly 5 times. Out of 535 pregnancies that came to term during this period,     505 live births (94%), 15 stillbirths/intra-uterine deaths (3%) and 15 (3%) abortions resulted.