By Dr Vikas Jain, Group COO, ASG Eye Hospital
Ensuring equitable access to healthcare remains one of the most complex challenges in India’s public health landscape. There are advanced hospitals and networks of specialists in big cities, but access to good care is still uneven in rural and semi-urban areas. For millions of patients, treatment is often delayed because of geographic barriers, a lack of trained medical professionals, and a lack of diagnostic infrastructure. But in the last few years, new digital technologies have started to change how healthcare is delivered, making it possible for providers to reach groups of people who weren’t getting enough care before. As of early 2025, over 33.8 crore patients have been served through eSanjeevani, India’s national telemedicine service, according to the government of India.
The rise of telemedicine and digital health platforms has been one of the biggest reasons for this change. Telemedicine lets patients talk to doctors from afar using digital communication tools. This cuts down on the need for long-distance travel and makes it possible for doctors to treat patients quickly. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India started eSanjeevani, the country’s national telemedicine platform. It has become one of the biggest digital health projects of its kind. The platform lets doctors talk to each other through Health and Wellness Centers and patients talk to doctors through online OPD services. This means that healthcare workers in rural areas can talk to specialists in urban hospitals.
Government data shows that the eSanjeevani platform has been used for hundreds of millions of teleconsultations. This shows that both doctors and patients are becoming more comfortable with getting healthcare services from a distance.
Alongside telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technologies are increasingly being integrated into healthcare delivery. AI systems can analyse large volumes of medical data, including imaging, clinical records, and diagnostic results, to support clinicians in identifying diseases more efficiently. Machine learning algorithms trained on large datasets can help detect patterns associated with conditions such as tuberculosis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, supporting early diagnosis and more informed clinical decision-making. Studies suggest that AI-supported diagnostic tools can enhance screening capabilities and help optimise the use of specialist resources in healthcare systems with workforce constraints.
Another important component of technology-enabled healthcare access is the development of portable diagnostic devices and mobile health infrastructure. Advances in medical technology have made it possible to deploy compact diagnostic tools in community health centres and mobile medical units. These devices allow healthcare workers to conduct screening tests in locations where permanent medical facilities may be limited. By identifying patients who require further medical attention and facilitating referrals to higher-level hospitals, such technologies help strengthen early detection and preventive care. This is an important factor when it comes to eyecare, as a good test can go a long way in fending off issues and catching it in time.
High-tech innovation is also enabling remote patient monitoring and digital health record systems, which allow doctors to track patient health indicators without requiring frequent hospital visits. Connected devices, wearable technologies, and digital health records enable better coordination of care across multiple healthcare facilities. These systems help improve treatment continuity by ensuring that patient information can be securely accessed by healthcare providers when needed.
Within this broader digital health transformation, eye care is also benefiting from emerging technologies that help address gaps in specialist access and screening coverage. Teleophthalmology programmes allow trained technicians or healthcare workers to capture retinal images at community health centres and transmit them to ophthalmologists for remote evaluation. This model enables early screening for eye diseases in areas where ophthalmologists may not be readily available, helping extend specialist expertise to rural and underserved populations.
Artificial intelligence is further supporting eye care through AI-enabled retinal imaging systems that assist in identifying early signs of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. Studies show that machine learning algorithms trained on retinal image datasets can support clinicians by analysing images and flagging abnormalities that require specialist review. These technologies enable screening to be conducted in primary care settings while allowing ophthalmologists to focus on patients who require advanced treatment.
Despite these advancements, experts note that digital health technologies must be supported by reliable infrastructure, trained healthcare personnel, and strong governance frameworks. Digital literacy, connectivity, and data protection policies remain critical factors in ensuring that technological innovation benefits all segments of the population.
Nevertheless, the progress seen in telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics, and portable medical technologies demonstrates the potential of digital innovation to reshape healthcare delivery in India. By extending the reach of medical expertise beyond hospital walls and enabling earlier disease detection, high-tech innovation is gradually helping reduce longstanding disparities in healthcare access. As India continues to invest in digital health infrastructure, these technologies are expected to play an increasingly important role in building a more inclusive and accessible healthcare system.
India’s healthcare system has moved beyond just implementing new technologies and is instead creating a major shift in how we ensure that the expertise of specialist doctors is available to everyone in the country. With the integration of products such as telemedicine applications, like eSanjeevani, artificial intelligence (AI)-based diagnostic devices, and other portable diagnostic tools with AI, we are able to remove many of the geographic and socioeconomic barriers that have hampered the country’s efforts to solve its public health problems.
To continue building on this momentum will require significant public and private investment in both digital infrastructure and good governance to support data security and improve literacy among the population; however, the current direction of travel suggests that access to high-quality healthcare will soon be a reality for all citizens and no longer will be the privilege of the urban wealthy – compliments of developments in technology – while also likely providing the world with a model that combines use of technology and an inclusive approach to healthcare that will help bridge the gap between advancements in medical science and widespread access to healthcare services.