PGIMER Plans AI Integration for Early Cancer Detection & Drone Usage in Healthcare

PGIMER’s telemedicine department outlined plans to equip peripheral healthcare centers with AI tools for diagnosing diseases such as oral cancer, liver cancer, and diabetic retinopathy at advanced stages.

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is preparing to revolutionize telemedicine through artificial intelligence (AI) integration, aiming to enhance early cancer detection.

This was a key highlight on the final day of the Telemedicon conference, themed “Virtual Healthcare and the Role of AI,” which concluded on Saturday.

The event hosted over 500 delegates and featured discussions on ethical challenges and AI applications in emergency care.

Dr Amit Aggarwal from PGIMER’s telemedicine department outlined plans to equip peripheral healthcare centers with AI tools for diagnosing diseases such as oral cancer, liver cancer, and diabetic retinopathy at advanced stages.

He emphasized the need for India-specific authentic data to develop effective AI models. “Early cancer detection can save countless lives and reduce the burden of long-distance travel for treatment,” Dr Aggarwal stated.

Collaboration between AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Delhi, and PGIMER Chandigarh is underway to bring AI-driven healthcare solutions directly to communities.

Drone Technology for Remote Healthcare

PGIMER is also exploring the use of drones to improve healthcare delivery in underserved areas.

Conference chairperson Dr. Biman Saikia shared plans to deploy drones for transporting organs, delivering medicines, and sending diagnostic reports to remote regions like Himachal Pradesh.

This initiative aims to significantly cut down travel time and eliminate the need for green corridors.

Dr Saikia highlighted a successful example from AIIMS Rishikesh, where drones delivered tuberculosis medicines in Uttarakhand within 30 minutes.

PGIMER intends to replicate and expand this model, potentially transforming healthcare accessibility for distant communities.

In a similar development, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare plans to extend telemedicine services to all AIIMS and PGI institutions nationwide to ease hospital burdens and enhance patient care.

The initiative includes tele-referral and tele-triage systems aimed at improving accessibility and efficiency for patients.

Tele-triage allows healthcare providers to evaluate patients' symptoms via virtual consultations, helping to decide if a hospital visit is required or if the condition can be managed remotely, thus minimizing unnecessary hospital visits.

Stay tuned for more such updates on Digital Health News.