Online health consultation on rise amid surge in cases

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 5

As Covid cases have once again shot up in the city, people have started preferring online health consultation with doctors rather than visiting the clinic/hospital.

During the lockdown, online consultations were common and patients used to interact with doctors through video calls.

City hospitals such as CMCH and DMCH have been giving online consultations since then.

Surjit Kaur, a 72-year-old heart and diabetes patient, said she prefers to consult the doctor over the phone rather than visiting the clinic. “I have got my vaccination done but still I prefer not to go out except for emergency. Since, I have co-morbidities also I prefer to consult the doctor online only,” she said.

A city-based medicine expert said he is also not encouraging patients to visit his clinic for consultation as there will be huge rush.

“I am asking patients to avoid visiting me in person and rather consult me telephonically,” he said.

Meanwhile, city people whose relatives or friends are admitted in the hospitals for various ailments are avoiding/postponing the visit of the hospitals.

Suresh Aggarwal whose relative had to undergo a surgery at the DMCH is still speculating whether to visit the hospital or not.

“I have been regularly in touch with the family but still have not visited them. I talked to them via video call and will visiting them only when the patient is discharged and goes back home,” he said.