Puducherry: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), a Regional Resource Centre for Telemedicine for southern states under the Union Health Ministry's e-Health division, has launched a series of new initiatives to strengthen technology-enabled healthcare delivery.

Announcing the measures, JIPMER Director Dr Vir Singh Negi said the institute — which already runs several national and international telemedicine projects including the National Medical College Network, National Knowledge Network, ISRO and BIMSTEC programmes — is committed to improving accessibility and patient care using digital tools.

Among the major initiatives is the 'JIPMER Tele-Yanam Service' which connects the JIPMER Yanam Centre with Puducherry through a dedicated telemedicine unit at Yanam and in the Emergency and Women & Children Hospital blocks, facilitating round-the-clock virtual consultations.

The 'JIPMER Tele-Ambulance Service' has equipped ambulances with telemedicine technology to enable doctors at the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) block to remotely assess patients and initiate treatment at accident sites.

In addition, JIPMER has installed 'Patient-Attendant Online Feedback Kiosks' in the EMS block to collect real-time feedback on services, and is developing a 'Patient-Attendant Navigation App' to guide visitors to departments and OPDs, thereby reducing waiting time and enhancing experience.