American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has signed an MoU

with HealthNet Global Limited, an Apollo Hospital group company, to offer

virtual second opinion consultations, some of which may not be chargeable.

After the basic details of patients, case sheet, diagnosis reports are uploaded, an

appointment has to be sought. Thereafter, doctors will offer second opinion

through video call, audio call or e-mail.

Dr. Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said the service is offered under two categories. “This is offered at Mee Seva Centrees or

Common Service Centres where people can find ‘tele medicine’ option. Doctors

from USA who are members of AAPI and wish to give free service will be made

part of it. We will add ‘AAPI’ button in the next 90 days. Apollo Hospitals doctors

who want offer free service will also be part of it,” 

The second option is ‘Ask Apollo’ where people have to pay money for the

second opinion through online platforms. She said AAPI doctors who wish to

give second opinion service will indicate their charges which can be paid

through credit cards or payment gateways. Bio-data of the doctors will also be

listed for people to read.

Dr. Reddy said Apollo Hospitals has completed 10 million tele consultations

from the time they launched the service in 2000. “Almost 50% of it was recorded in the last two years because of uptake of

technology and mobile phones,” she said.

The Hindu