November 29,2004 

International Telemedicine Conference, INTELMEDINDIA-2005, is being sponsored and organised by ISRO, at Bangalore during March 17-19, 2005. The international conference will be held at the J N Tata Auditorium of the National Science Seminar Complex, in cooperation with Department of Information Technology, Department of Telecommunication, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Science and Technology, Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Rural Development.

INTELMEDINDIA-2005, with the theme, "Telemedicine for Global Health Care", is the first of the exclusive international conference organised in India covering various facets of healthcare delivery through the technology based system of Telemedicine/Telehealth for benefiting the population in rural and remote areas. The conference is aimed to create awareness among the various healthcare providers, doctors and administrators, equipment suppliers, technologists, medical and engineering institutions, etc, about the ways and benefits of adopting the emerging telemedicine technology as an effective tool for healthcare delivery and evolve recommendations for establishment of tele-medicine facility in India and other developing countries. It will also discuss the healthcare requirements in SAARC countries, Africa and South East Asia and help to provide better insight for development of telemedicine facility in these countries.

ISRO has been spearheading satellite based telemedicine programme in the country with about 60 remote district hospitals already connected to 20 Super Specialty Hospitals in major cities using INSAT satellite. The advantage of telemedicine in reaching out to the rural and remote population has been well established through the experience of this present telemedicine network. However, there is a need to provide a common platform to all concerned agencies like communication systems/software and medical equipment providers, super-specialty hospitals, healthcare administrators, various Departments of Government, trust and private hospitals, NGOs and corporate hospitals dealing with healthcare both in India and abroad. It will also help to exchange ideas, practices and methodology to effectively implement and use the emerging telemedicine technology. It is in this context that INTELEMEDINDIA-2005 at Bangalore assumes greater significance.

INTELEMEDINDIA-2005 will focus its deliberations on steps needed to introduce and expand telemedicine facilities to benefit the rural and remote population; providing clinical, technical, operational, administrative expertise and facilities for effective functioning of the telemedicine system and establishment of a forum of experts in telemedicine to foster the growth of telemedicine, telehealth and continuing medical education and facilitate continuous professional interaction.

A one-day workshop is also organised to bring in national awareness and visibility about the benefits of telemedicine and methodology of operations by public, private and NGO Healthcare providers in the country.

An exhibition, displaying the latest technology in equipments, software and systems, medical informatics and innovative clinical methods for healthcare, is also planned to be conducted during INTELEMEDINDIA-2005.