Satwinder Bhatia, retired paramedical staff member from BHEl hospital, got inflicted with stage 2 colon cancer. In spite of getting all the reimbursement from her parent employer to be treated at Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital in Mumbai, she did not have strength to switch often between Haridwar and Mumbai. Having got her five radiation therapies done in a week, she searched on internet about the centres across India on National Cancer Grid and here she was to get the same treatment at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Jolly Grant. As many as 96 such centres across the country have been linked through National Cancer Grid. What is more, she could even seek expert opinion sitting at her home while uploading her medical reports at Navya online assistance system.
Getting experts’ advice on cancer is now just a mouse click away. There is no need to travel to the cancer facility, just upload your medical reports online and get the feedback from the Asia’s best known oncologists within 24 hours. To boost the cancer treatment management and give standardized treatment and palliative care across the country, Tata Memorial Centre has established National Cancer Grid with 96 hospitals of the country which not only maintains the single window cancer registry but also follows the same set of treatment guidelines, sharing information on regular basis.
In an exclusive talk with The Pioneer during a workshop of the visiting journalists, the director of Tata Memorial Centre Dr A K D’Cruz said, “The facility is funded by Department of Atomic Energy Govt. of India. A patient just needs to have a smart phone to click picture of his medical reports, upload through submission system of Navya. It saves him of all the hassles of coming to Mumbai. By paying minimal charges, he can get the expert opinion sitting at his home. For poor patients, it is absolutely free. Very soon a call centre would be launched where regular follow-ups by the hospital would be facilitated for cancer patients, especially those from remote areas of the country. What is generally found is that the patients from such areas do not come after treatment while it is necessary to follow for three years to mitigate the chances of recurrence.”
Started more than a year ago to assist patients with facilities before and after treatment, Navya expert opinion service has helped over thousands of patients and families with second opinions, suggesting diet plans and treatment analysis online. Special concession for below poverty line card holders is also being given.
Recently, an app has been launched by the hospital, Virtual Tumour Board, comprising a multidisciplinary panel of cancer experts from across the country, to offer best available cancer treatment. During his talk, chief of Thoracic Surgery Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital Dr C Pramesh, said, “Two complex cases received from centres are taken by our experts per week and results are given online. It provides hospitals free expert opinion from leading cancer specialists, including TMH experts, to plan treatment of cancer patients in an effective and timely manner.”
It is a long process before the actual treatment begins at the hospital, he said. It is not possible for a number of smaller cancer centres like HIMS Dehradun, facing shortage of doctors, to have a panel discussion on cancer cases and to come up with best available treatment, he said.
Now, the hospitals across the country can put patient case details on virtual live webcast which is attended by experts from the National Cancer Grid who immediately look into patient reports and offer best possible treatment, he added.