In Delhi-NCR, CGHS starts teleconsultation services

New Delhi: The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) has started teleconsultation services to facilitate consultations by its beneficiaries with specialists through the virtual mode without physically visiting a healthcare facility.

To begin with, specialist consultations under the services will be available for four specialties — Medicine, Orthopaedics, Eye and ENT, the health ministry said.

The ministry said it has been receiving requests from various quarters, including senior citizen beneficiaries, to start teleconsultation services with specialist doctors in view of the current COVID-19 pandemic due to which it is not advisable for them to visit public places, particularly healthcare facilities.

"In order to facilitate consultations with specialists by CGHS beneficiaries through virtual mode without physically visiting a healthcare facility, CGHS has started teleconsultation services with effect from August 25," the ministry said.

Initially, these services will be available to beneficiaries in Delhi and NCR. The e-services are available between 9 am and 12 noon on all working days, it said. CGHS teleconsultation services are using the existing e-Sanjeevani platform of the Health Ministry, it said in a statement.

For ease of use, this platform has been linked with the ID of the beneficiaries. For availing of specialist OPD services, the beneficiaries are required to register on the platform using their mobile number after which an OTP will be generated for verification purposes.