Picture these statistics. There are one million new cases of cancer every year. Almost 80% of those cases are in Stage 3 & 4, leaving little or no chance of survival. This points to the immense need of Palliative Care in India. However, its been a little over 20 years since Palliative Care came into being in India. Ever since its introduction, the growth in hospices and the movement in India has grown tremendously and people are more aware of it now more than ever before. However, it would be interesting to shed some light on how technology is making the Palliative Care space more efficient.
Accelerated by COVD-19
By and large, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the use of technology for healthcare delivery has grown manifolds and combined with multiple new models of care, we are seeing digital engagement on multiple fronts increase, be it patients & their families/caregivers but also clinicians and doctors. Two of the primary solutions being used are video conferencing technologies and social media. While video conferencing is used for assessment, handover and education, social media is used for communication and engagement routed through professional and other common groups. Moreover, we have
witnessed a more purposeful usage of cloud services, email, and internet telephony.
Barriers
While the innovations in technology has demonstrated how tech can be complemented with the delivery of palliative care, there are barriers. Such barriers limit the potential of the technology.
However, these are solvable barriers. They include the following:
- Costs & Expense
- Data Privacy & Security
- Interoperability
- Lack of effectiveness
- Reduction in face-to-face consultation.
On the flip side, the pandemic has shown how technology can be leveraged to reach individuals who otherwise wouldn’t have access to palliative care services. More importantly, it provides choice to individuals in remote areas who may not be able to typically attend day care services or outpatient services.
Education & Training
It’s not only about delivery of care but educating and training people in the context of palliative care. Before the pandemic, virtual reality, online learning, social media and high-fidelity simulation were supporting education to a large extent. However, an interesting shift has happened as a result of the pandemic. Virtual learning environments to support palliative and end of life care education has emerged in a big way. Such environments provide an opportunity to a broad range of people whose learning styles may vary.
At the end of the day, technology can only be an enabler in delivering and learning palliative care. The real essence of palliative care lies in understanding the agony and pain of the patient, at a more human level going beyond the medical diagnosis.
Unmukt – The Senior Hub organised a palliative care webinar “My Care My Comfort Zone” with Dr. M. R. Rajagopal, Founder & Chairman of Pallium India. Click here to watch full video.