‘Technology can help improve your health’

KOCHI: Running a health application on cellphones would help Indians prevent or control diseases better than any other measure, Dr Peter J Fitzgerald, professor of medicine at Stanford School of Medicine, said on Friday.
“Since India has more cellphones and less public toilets, technology could be the best bet to promote a preventive health system.Social media can play a big role in the field,” he said.
On the sidelines of the annual meeting of the national intervention council at Hotel Le Meridien, this engineer-cardiologist said cellphone applications which could help count calories or keep tabs on diet could make health a part of daily routine, which could help in the prevention of diseases. “It is a different matter to have access to the latest treatment facilities. But people should adopt advanced preventive strategies like genetic screening that helps in early detection and saves time and cost,” said Dr Fitzgerald, who is associated with an Indian multi-national company which offers education prorgammes to doctors on new treatment modalities and devices. “The healthcare scene is witnessing major changes, whether it is new procedures like catheter-based lung volume reduction or minimally-invasive aortic valve replacement surgery. If doctors are aware of the new facilities and drugs, it will benefit patients by reducing treatment cost and bettering recovery rates,” he said.
In fact, Dr Fitzgerald would opt for more minimally-invasive surgeries. According to him, while not many could afford the facilities available in developed countries, research would bring in treatment and medicines that target health problems specific to India.
“Along with India, Taiwan, China and Ireland are also taking big leaps in healthcare. I would suggest is a merger of the industry and the health care sector to design new facilities for patients,” he said.
And what would he like to bring out for India? Medicines and treatment programmes that target contagious diseases and lifestyle diseases, he said.