“Telemedicine Health Advisory for Rural Zone (THAR)”: 1 Year Pilot Project

Introduction

Recent Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating blow on rural health initiatives due to its effect on economy, transportation, and restrictions to flow of essentials. There was a major critical care infrastructure crisis, medications scarcity and health personnel shortage. Shut down caused major blockade of life saving materials including oxygen supply, ventilators, hospital equipment and protective gears. Mortality and morbidity had huge negative impact in overall nation’s recovery.

Since majority of healthcare centers especially tertiary centers are located in bigger cities, rural population could not travel to these centers due to prolonged lock-down. The healthcare disparities grew even more, and the gap widened for timely intervention for health initiatives for underserved population. There were more deaths in rural population in comparison to urban zone.

To bridge the disparity of healthcare delivery in rural population, our goal is provide free of cost- primary and secondary health care using telemedicine technology for the underserved at their doorstep. Using telemedicine technology, we are providing healthcare advisory consultations for all specialties including internal medicine, surgery, OBGN, orthopedics, neurology, gastroenterology and others except pediatrics. Our experts include doctors from all super specialties who are trained in esteemed institutions in India and abroad.

This rural zone outreach program intends to narrow the health disparity gap using cost effective approach and utilize locally available health facility resources and optimize healthcare, which in turn prevent patients from leaving their rural background.

Team

Dr. Shushrutha Hedna

Program Director (THAR)

 

He with his vast experience in Clinical Neurology, Research and Academic background, head the THAR Project. He also heads NeuroZone as the Managing Director. His leadership skills are demonstrated by his stint as Associate Program Director-Neurology Residency and Neurovascular (Stroke) Fellowship-University of Florida; Stroke Director-University of New Mexico Hospitals; Stroke Director- Baptist Health Floyd, New Albany, Indiana among others.

Dr. Shushrutha Hedna

Dr. Gautam Subbaiah

Director

Global Health and Disparities (THAR)

 

He is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, College of Medicine, at the University of Florida. He is the director of Global health and disparities at the THAR project. His vast experience in infectious disease and global medicine is bringing a great trove of skills to make this program a success.

Dr. Gautam Subbaiah

Mrs Dhanya Shushrutha

Director

Operations

 

She is the Director, Operations at THAR project. Her passion and experience in the USA, UK, and India will help in the successful management of this project. She has served in different roles including Medical Clerkship Admin in the University of Florida, Gainesville, Marketing & HR roles in New York, and HR Admin in UK to name a few.

Mrs Dhanya Shushrutha, MBA

Dr. Nandakumar Nagaraja

Director

Assistant Professor of Neurology,
University Of Florida

 

He is currently associated with University of Florida as assistant professor in neurology. He trained in National Institute of Health (NIH) for his stroke fellowship. With his great academic track record he will be heading THAR project as Director, Telehealth Research.

Dr. Nandakumar Nagaraja

Omnia Omprakash

THAR Project Team Lead and Global Health Research Analyst

Baylor University, Texas , USA

 

She is successfully leading the rural zone outreach program, which has the intention of narrowing the health disparity gap. This program utilizes cost effective approaches and locally available health facility resources to optimize healthcare delivery to patients from rural backgrounds. In addition, she is also working as a Research Analyst for studies regarding trends in predisposing risk factors for COVID-19 in patients from rural areas in Karnataka.

Omnia Omprakash

THAR Project Overview

• No of Villages Covered: Total: 682
• Rural population in Mysore and Kodagu District Covered by THAR: 929,341 ( ̴ 1 Million)
• Patients seen per week: 600
• Patients seen in 1ST year: 30,000