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Published on: Apr 06, 2020
2 minute read
By: Dr Rajan Choudhary

MicroRNA That Makes Them Fight COVID Better ?

Recently you may have read a New Delhi based International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) sequenced the genome (genetic data) of SARS-COV-2 (coronavirus) from India, Italy, US, Nepal and Wuhan, China. They found that the Indian variant of SARS-CoV2 has the potential to be targeted by antiviral RNA within host cells, a feature that is unique to the Indian strain.

This amazing finding has been published on blogs, newspapers and other media as proof that Indians may not suffer as much as the rest of the world when the COVID-19 pandemic hits the country. One headline touted “MicroRNA in Indians may reduce severity of corona attack”, stating “Indians have comparatively better immunity compared to other countries”. Of course this article is being forwarded on WhatsApp, and enough people may take it as gospel. Is it true?

No.

If you want to know why, just look on the Journal’s website:

“these are preliminary reports that have not been peer-reviewed. They should NOT be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behaviour, or be reported in news media as established information.”

Research is not easy. I could write a very long explanation for why, but I have summarised it below.

SUMMARY:

- To prove x causes y up to a high scientific standard is incredibly difficult

- Even if you think x causes y, someone might find a flaw in your study

- Numbers can be manipulated by statistics to show what you want to believe

- Reporters might not understand the study and mis-report it

- We all want to believe there is a magic cure that will protect us, that makes us special, immune to this disaster so we can get on with our lives. Unfortunately there simply isn’t one. And believing in them without fact checking can cause more harm than good.

IMMUNITY AGAINST COVID

So what about this study? Firstly it is looking at one tiny mechanism in a cell, when a cell can have millions of proteins responsible for a billion different functions in just the cell itself. Secondly it is not peer reviewed. This means no one has fact checked the study to check whether the design is valid, whether the statistics hold up, whether they have missed something or are making incorrect conclusions based off their data. Peer-reviewing a recent paper showing SARS-CoV-2 and HIV were extremely similar disproved this paper as false.

In the authors defence he acknowledges this:

“In our study, which is a purely computational one, we predicted that this microRNA binds to the SARS-Cov2 genome submitted from India. However, it is too early to comment on it because there is only one high coverage sequence from India, so far,”

Thirdly, the news article says that Indians have better immunity because of this “microRNA”. This is wrong. The study sequenced the genome of the virus, not of the Indian population. Antiviral microRNA is found in all people. The study simply suggests that this might be more effective at targeting the Indian strain of COVID, but it does not make any concrete claims that Indians are protected from COVID.

Again, the journal even states this:

“These are preliminary reports that have not been peer-reviewed. They should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or be reported in news media as established information.”

But most importantly, even if the paper suggests that the Indian strain may be less potent, it does not give us an excuse to be reckless. We have to adhere to social distancing, hygiene, lockdown principles in order to prevent infection. Because what happens if you take the article stating “Indians have comparatively better immunity compared to other countries” as fact, use this as an excuse to go about your regular daily lives, and it actually turns out that the microRNA has little to no effect on COVID. This endangers yourself and those around you.

Be sensible. Listen to public health officials.

Dr Rajan Choudhary, UK, Chief Product Officer, Second Medic Inc

www.secondmedic.com

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Digital Healthcare Automation India: Enabling Smart Workflows, Faster Care, and a Modern Clinical Ecosystem

Digital healthcare automation is redefining how India delivers medical services, manages clinical operations, and coordinates patient journeys. As hospitals, clinics, and digital health platforms move toward technology-driven processes, automation has become essential for ensuring efficiency, reducing manual work, minimizing delays, and improving care accuracy. In a healthcare system where patient volumes are high and specialist availability is uneven, automation empowers organizations to deliver faster, smarter, and more consistent care.

India’s healthcare automation growth aligns with national initiatives like ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission), growing telemedicine adoption, rising digital literacy, and the increased use of AI-based medical tools. SecondMedic integrates automation into every stage of digital care-appointments, reporting, monitoring, follow-ups, and preventive health-allowing users and clinicians to experience a seamless, intelligent healthcare ecosystem.

Digital healthcare automation India is not simply about digitizing manual tasks; it is about augmenting healthcare with intelligent workflows that respond to real-time needs. By reducing repetitive workloads, automation allows clinicians to focus on what matters most: patient care.

Why Automation Matters in Indian Healthcare

India faces significant challenges: overloaded outpatient departments, resource shortages, manual data entry errors, delayed reports, and administrative inefficiencies. Automation addresses these issues by introducing structured, rule-based processes supported by AI and digital tools.

Key systemic challenges automation helps solve:

High patient-to-doctor ratios
Slow movement of information across departments
Inconsistent follow-up and monitoring
Manual errors in documentation and reporting
Unpredictable appointment flow
Inadequate time for patient–doctor interaction

Digital automation supports a more organized, reliable, and high-performance healthcare environment.

What Is Digital Healthcare Automation?

Digital healthcare automation refers to the use of AI, software systems, connected devices, and workflow engines to automate medical and administrative procedures. These tools reduce manual intervention wherever possible and ensure accuracy, repeatability, and continuity.

Core areas of automation include:

Appointment management and scheduling
Electronic medical record updates
Auto-generation of diagnostic summaries
Automated clinical reminders
Medication and health-plan notifications
Remote monitoring and alert systems
Digital report formatting
Workflow optimization for hospital operations

SecondMedic incorporates automation across its telemedicine, diagnostics, monitoring, and preventive-care systems.

Automated Appointment Scheduling and Coordination

Appointment automation is one of the most practical innovations in India’s digital health landscape. Without automation, patients often encounter long queues, missed follow-ups, and scheduling conflicts.

Automated scheduling helps by:

Matching patients to the right doctor
Reducing wait times
Preventing double bookings
Prioritizing urgent cases
Coordinating virtual and in-person consults
Helping doctors manage daily workloads efficiently

SecondMedic’s automated scheduling engine analyzes doctor availability, user urgency, and specialty requirements to optimize appointment flow.

Automation in Diagnostics and Reporting

Medical diagnostics often involve multiple steps that traditionally require human intervention-uploading reports, comparing past results, formatting summaries, highlighting abnormalities, and generating clear interpretations.

Automation enhances diagnostic workflows by:

Auto-organizing digital medical reports
Highlighting abnormal ranges
Identifying missing test values
Summarizing patient history for doctors
Formatting structured reports instantly
Automating comparisons with past results

For AI-based imaging and lab analytics, automation helps radiologists and clinicians detect patterns faster and reduce minor reporting inconsistencies.

Remote Monitoring and Automated Alerts

Remote patient monitoring has grown rapidly in India, especially for chronic diseases. Wearable devices and home-health tools generate continuous data streams. Automation helps turn these raw inputs into actionable insights.

Monitoring automation includes:

Auto-detection of abnormal vitals
Alerts for risky trends
Medication reminders
Follow-up triggers
Predictive alerts using AI
Aggregated health reports for doctors

For chronic care, this ensures timely intervention and reduces emergency visits.

Enhancing Hospital and Clinic Workflows

Healthcare automation in clinical facilities improves operational efficiency and reduces administrative bottlenecks. Hospitals benefit significantly from automated workflows that ensure consistency and speed.

Applications include:

Patient flow management
Automated admission and discharge processes
Digital billing and inventory management
Lab and pharmacy integration
Nursing task automation
Centralized communication dashboards

These improvements reduce patient wait times and improve overall care delivery.

Improving Patient Engagement Through Automation

Automation supports patients by making healthcare more accessible and predictable. Many individuals struggle to remember follow-ups or understand complex medical guidance. Automated systems simplify this journey.

Key patient-facing automation benefits include:

Reminders for medications and appointments
Preventive health notifications
Personalized care tips
AI-driven chat support for common queries
Post-consultation guidance delivery
Automated sharing of doctor notes and reports

SecondMedic uses automation to ensure patients remain engaged throughout their health journey.

Automation and AI: A Powerful Combination

AI enhances healthcare automation by making it adaptive and context-aware. Instead of following fixed rules, AI learns from patterns, outcomes, and user behavior to optimize workflows.

AI strengthens automation through:

Predictive recommendations
Dynamic scheduling adjustments
Automated report summaries
Early detection of errors
Smart escalation of high-risk cases

This combination powers advanced clinical systems that support both providers and patients.

Challenges in Implementing Healthcare Automation in India

Automation requires planning, infrastructure, and careful integration. Key challenges include:

Fragmented patient data across facilities
Infrastructure limitations in rural areas
Varying digital readiness across hospitals
Need for staff training
Ensuring compliance with DPDP and ABDM standards

Despite these challenges, adoption is increasing as digital health becomes mainstream.

The Future of Digital Healthcare Automation in India

India is poised for significant automation growth, driven by advancements in AI, 5G connectivity, cloud platforms, and interoperable health records. Over the next decade, digital healthcare automation will include:

AI-powered hospital command centers
Fully automated radiology and pathology workflows
Robotic process automation (RPA) in administrative processes
Automated care coordination for chronic diseases
Voice-based digital assistants for patient queries
Smart triage algorithms integrated across telemedicine networks
Predictive automation for emergency care

SecondMedic is building a modern digital ecosystem that integrates AI, automation, and predictive healthcare tools, creating a seamless and intelligent healthcare experience for users.

Conclusion

Digital healthcare automation India is unlocking a new era of efficiency, precision, and patient-centered care. By automating clinical workflows, diagnostic tasks, and patient engagement processes, healthcare organizations can deliver faster, more reliable services. Automation supports doctors with real-time insights, reduces administrative burdens, and ensures that patients receive timely interventions.

SecondMedic continues to lead this transformation by integrating automation into virtual care, diagnostics, monitoring, and preventive health solutions, shaping the future of digital healthcare in India.

To access advanced automated digital healthcare tools, visit www.secondmedic.com

References

NITI Aayog – Digital Health India
ABDM – National Digital Health Mission
IMARC – Healthcare Automation Market India
WHO – Digital Health Workflow Automation
FICCI – Hospital Automation India

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