X-Ray Film Shortage Row: KMC Hospital asks patients to use mobile photos

The move has raised serious concerns, as poor image quality can lead to misinterpretation and misdiagnosis, potentially putting the lives of thousands of daily patients at risk.

The development has also sparked questions regarding accessibility. What happens if a patient does not have a smartphone? How will elderly patients manage in such situations? 

When DTNext media news report sought clarification regarding the matter, the Dean of KMC Hospital stated that the hospital has an adequate supply of X-ray sheets and that they would look into the matter with the Radiology Department.

Additionally, Dr S Perumal Pillai, President of the Government Doctors' Association, stated that the shortage of X-ray sheets is a statewide crisis, and most government hospitals are currently grappling with this issue.

Perumal warned that if doctors are compelled to diagnose patients based on photographs viewed on their mobile phones, it could lead to misdiagnosis and endanger people's lives. He stated that physical X-ray sheets remain the most reliable method for accurately interpreting a patient's condition and making a diagnosis.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Medical Commission (NMC) provide specific frameworks for doctors who use digital images for diagnosis.

Under the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, diagnosing a patient using smartphone images of X-rays is legally valid. However, it entails significant professional responsibilities and technical risks. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that members of the Healthcare Beneficiaries Welfare Committee of the Coimbatore District Government Headquarters Hospital, along with residents, have urged the state authorities to post key specialists at the Pollachi government hospital, noting that although it has 462 inpatient beds, it lacks experts in cardiothoracic surgery, neurology and dermatology.