Safdarjung set to launch India’s first online ICU follow-up clinic

New Delhi: In a first for India's public healthcare system, Safdarjung Hospital will launch a dedicated critical care follow-up clinic for ICU-discharged patients through govt's e-Sanjeevani OPD portal. It will operate Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-11 am, letting patients and families consult their doctors or other critical care specialists remotely. Hospital officials said it will fill a major gap in India's healthcare system, where structured follow-up for ICU survivors is often missing, who often continue to struggle with physical weakness, cognitive issues or complications after discharge. The service will be inaugurated by Safdarjung Hospital director Dr Sandeep Bansal on Saturday at 11 am. According to doctors, the clinic could become a model for follow-up care in critical illness, particularly for patients living in remote areas who face logistical and financial barriers in accessing tertiary hospitals. "In India, ICU follow-up is extremely necessary because many of our patients come from distant places. Once they return home after treatment, it becomes difficult for them to travel back for regular check-ups," said Dr Anirban Hom, head of critical care at Safdarjung Hospital. He added that many patients are not fully recovered at the time of discharge and need continued medical guidance and rehabilitation support. "Through this system, they will be able to contact us directly online. We can assess the problems they are facing and based on that, we can decide whether their treatment can be managed where they are currently staying or if they need to come back for further care," Hom said.