Rajasthan HC launches Tele-evidence for SMS College doctors

Jaipur: A smart and time-saving initiative has been taken by the Rajasthan High Court. Chief Justice S S Shinde has recently launched a video conferencing remote point for tele-evidence for doctors.

Previously, the doctors of SMS Medical College were required to attend the trials, which hampered their duty resulting in taking leave from the hospital and avoiding the treatment of the patients at times. Now, the doctors will be able to attend both the trials and the patients at the same time. The court will access judicial services virtually through the tele-evidence facilities.

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In India, tele-evidence facilities were made available for doctors in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Initially, from 2013, the facility was available only at the District Secretariat; thereafter, the infrastructure was installed at a few medical colleges in 2015. In 2017, all the district hospitals and medical colleges were provided with video conferencing facilities.

Tele-evidence is an acceptable and implementable mode of testifying and has led to tremendous resource savings in our tertiary care setting. The model needs to be replicated for the deliverance of justice and is in consonance with Government's push toward Digital India.

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An official of SMS hospital told TOI, "It is the first remote point for VC in a hospital set up in the state. Now, the doctors of SMS Medical College and attached hospitals can depose their evidence from this remote point while catering to patient care.

"Tele-evidence" or giving evidence through videoconferencing provides an alternative to the physical appearance of the healthcare workers in the courts. Tele-evidence can also be considered a form of telemedicine because it is an application of technology to the healthcare process whereby service is provided remotely by means of audiovisual technology.

Dr Sudhir Bhandari, principal and controller, of SMS Medical College and the doctors welcomed and appreciated the move and stated that it will help the doctors in many ways saving their time, money and energy all at once.