Due to its cloud based online integration system Relox Virtual Lab provides reports in 30 minutes. Existing situation prevailing in pathology laboratories:
Shortage of MD pathologist:
By virtue of the SC order, country will be left with only 5,500 persons to sign the report,” reasons Dr Girdhar Gyani, Director General AHPI.
“In India, we have around 9,500 professionals with MD-microbiology and MD-biochemistry qualification. Postgraduate degree holders in microbiology and biochemistry are around 20,000. Then we have about 1,500 Ph.D in biochemistry, microbiology, genetics and molecular biology. All put together, we have 36,500 qualified personnel, who have been till now the authorised signatories for various medical test reports & now cannot sign lab reports. There are around 300,000 medical testing laboratories in the country and it could become humanly impossible for 5,500 MD-pathology persons to handle the workload. This, healthcare providers say could breed corruption. “These professionals will be pushed to become visiting signatory authorities covering many cities. Pathologists may begin lending electronic signatures from one central office to hundreds of test reports & will hamper the authenticity of test reports, which are the sole basis for physicians to prescribe treatment. The current pool of MD-pathology in the country will hardly be enough even for major tier-I and tier-II cities. This will adversely affect the availability of signatories in smaller towns and rural areas would be worst sufferers”. Huge loss of man-days:
There is no actual study report available which indicate the huge financial burden on health exchequer and heavy national loss due to loss of man-days due to late diagnosis resulting in delay in onset of medical treatment, but it could be billions of rupees. No confirmation of diagnosis:
In absence of services of Pathological investigations, in many cases, instead of referring the patients to nearby cities for investigation, the treatment is started without confirming the diagnosis which ultimately result in delay in recovery and even Drug Resistance. All reports examined and signed by MD Pathologists Virtual laboratory:
Our laboratory set up is fully computerised and digital. We have developed an unique software so that the laboratory technician cannot take out print of any report unless seen, examined and approved by our MD pathologist. The laboratory results from all our digital equipments are captured by software and transferred to MD pathologist through net services. Identity of patients is safeguarded and not disclosed to anyone. Our MD pathologists are examining every report, every slide of microscope and every laboratory result. After examination of reports submitted to him digitally, he offers his comments if any and finally issues the report with his digital signature and other relevant details. The laboratory technicians at all PHCs get the reports duly signed by MD pathologist instantly and take out the print and submit to medical doctor practicing at the respective PHC.
2. The Real Time Reporting System:
With the use of the advanced software, the entire process of uploading lab results, examining by MD pathologists and reports duly approved and signed by him is received at laboratory at PHC within couple of minutes. In more than 95 percent of cases, the laboratory reports duly signed by MD Pathologists are received by PHCs within 30 minutes and in all cases within One hour.
3. Benefits to government:
A. Being PPP model, government need not to invest on man, machinery, equipments and consumables like reagents. For each PHC, otherwise government need to invest minimum 15 to 20 lacks of rupees and employee manpower to operate pathological laboratory in PHC. All reports are examined / evaluated and signed by our MD Pathologists. Thus non-availability of MD pathologist, which is a perennial problem, is automatically taken care. The diagnosis at PHC level becomes accurate and hence the recovery of patient becomes faster. Due to Real Time reporting arrangement, the patient gets immediate reports of laboratory results duly approved and signed by qualified medical professional which is otherwise not possible in any system. The first and accurate diagnosis resulting in speedy recovery of patient greatly reduces financial burden on health exchequer and valuable saving in loss of man-days for the entire country.
