Diagnosis in danger: Out of films, Kilpauk med college asks patients to click pic of x-ray image

CHENNAI: A shortage of X-ray films has the Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital asking patients to take photos of x-ray images on their mobile phones and show them to doctors.

For a hospital that has a daily patient footfall in thousands, this raises serious concerns, as poor image quality could lead to misinterpretation and misdiagnosis, putting patient lives at risk.

There is also the question of accessibility. What happens if a patient does not own a smartphone? How will elderly patients manage in such situations?

Bharathi, who was visiting the hospital for his brother’s treatment for a broken wrist, asks how doctors can accurately diagnose conditions based on mobile phone images, as it could lead to incorrect treatment.

When DT Next sought a clarification, KMC Hospital Dean maintained that the hospital has sufficient x-ray sheets and that he would check with the radiology department about the report.

Dr S Perumal Pillai, president of the Government Doctors' Association, told this correspondent that x-ray sheet shortage is a statewide crisis, and most government hospitals are currently grappling with the problem. Perumal warned that if doctors are forced to diagnose patients by looking at images on their mobile phones, it could lead to misdiagnosis and put lives in danger. He noted that physical X-ray sheets remain the reliable way to accurately read and diagnose a patient's condition.

The Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Medical Commission provide specific frameworks for doctors using digital images for diagnosis. Under the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, diagnosing a patient using a smartphone image of an X-ray is legally permissible, but it carries significant professional responsibilities and technical risks.

During a visit to the medical college, DT Next observed that the new six-storey tower at KMC, built with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, at a cost of approximately Rs 363 crore, is not fully operational.