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Published on: Jul 14, 2021
1 minute read
By: Raj Dwivedi

Telemedicine, COVID-19 And Liver Diseases

For liver diseases, there have been successful experiences with the use of different modalities of telemedicine [i.e. asynchronous telemedicine (analysis of patient's data by a single physician or multidisciplinary team), synchronous real-time patient management and tele-education]
Our Telemedicine program showed successful results as the sustained virologic responses achieved by those patients treated in primary care settings under the expert guidance.
Currently, this type of care is considered a vital tool for the goal of global elimination of HCV infection.In addition to HCV management, telemedicine offers opportunities for a better management of patients with chronic liver diseases by increasing their access to tertiary care, thus improving efficiency of healthcare delivery at reasonable cost .
We forsee expansion of telemedicine into other areas of hepatology is desirable and hold potential for improving management of pre- and post-liver transplant patients, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and patients with both compensated and decompensated cirrhosis.
It is important to note that in liver transplant setting existing data suggest that use of telemedicine may expedite evaluation and listing of patients referred to liver transplant centers and could improve outcomes (hospital readmissions, and quality of life) after liver transplantation.
In the case of HCC, telemedicine aslo offers the possibility of multidisciplinary evaluation in virtual tumor boards leading to tailored and more effective treatments . Finally, in cirrhosis, telemedicine may enhance self-care and facilitate HCC surveillance eventually preventing readmissions in recently hospitalized patients.
With the onset of COVID-19 pandemic everyone has forced the implementation of telemedicine actions for many liver patients.
Major international societies have released recommendations encouraging the use of remote care to manage patients with all liver diseases, particularly liver transplant patients.
However, the crisis will seriously impact cirrhosis care with social distancing and isolation causing major delays in elective procedures and routine care with potential overwhelm of medical centers managing postponed and potentially decompensated patients in the upcoming months.
Developing robust telemedicine programs and revamping remote care initiatives in hepatology will be critical during COVID times. The next challenge will be how to integrate telemedicine into routine clinical care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Digital Health Data Security Challenges India: Securing the Future of Digital Healthcare

As India rapidly digitizes its healthcare infrastructure-telemedicine platforms, electronic health records (EHRs), AI systems, and wearable data-security risks have escalated. Digital health data security challenges India are now a top priority because healthcare has become the number one target of cyberattacks worldwide.

A 2024 CERT-In report revealed that cyberattacks on Indian healthcare systems increased by 278% in a single year, making hospitals, telemedicine platforms, and diagnostic networks highly vulnerable.

SecondMedic recognizes the seriousness of these threats and has invested deeply in security infrastructure to protect patient data end-to-end.

1. Why Health Data Is the Most Valuable Target

Medical records contain:

Identity details
Medical history
Financial data
Prescriptions
Insurance information

This makes them more valuable on the dark web than credit card data.

Attackers use stolen health data for:

Fraudulent insurance claims
Blackmail
Illegal medical purchases
Identity theft

2. Major Digital Health Data Security Challenges in India

1. Cyberattacks on Hospitals and Telemedicine Platforms

India saw multiple ransomware attacks affecting:

AIIMS (Delhi)
State health servers
Diagnostic chains

These attacks disrupted services for days.

2. Weak Security in EHR Systems

Many clinics use outdated software with:

Weak passwords
No encryption
No access logs

This makes patient data vulnerable.

3. Telemedicine Data Exposure

Unsecured video calls, unencrypted chats, and public Wi-Fi create high-risk environments.

4. Wearable Device Vulnerabilities

Wearables send data to cloud servers.
Without secure APIs, this data can be intercepted.

5. Lack of Standardized Regulations

Though ABDM is improving the framework, India still lacks:

Standardized encryption enforcement
Strict penalties for breaches
Uniform hospital compliance

3. Compliance Requirements Under ABDM and DPDP Act

India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP 2023) mandates:

Patient consent for data usage
Secure processing
Limited access control
Breach notifications

ABDM governs:

Health IDs
Secure health data exchange
Interoperability standards

SecondMedic follows both frameworks.

4. How SecondMedic Ensures End-to-End Data Security

1. Encryption of All Patient Data

AES-256 encryption
Multi-layer secure cloud storage
Encrypted telemedicine communications

2. Role-Based Access Control

Doctors, administrators, and technical staff have different access rights.

3. Secure API Integrations

Data from labs, wearables, and pharmacies flows through secure, resistant APIs.

4. Regular Security Audits

Pen-testing and vulnerability assessments ensure new threats are patched.

5. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Prevents unauthorized access.

6. Secure Prescription & Report Handling

Digital prescriptions are encrypted and tamper-proof.

5. Building Digital Trust for India’s Healthcare Future

Patients now expect:

Transparency
Security
Clear data usage policies

SecondMedic maintains strict data protection protocols, ensuring that every patient interaction-whether teleconsultation, diagnostic review, or preventive health plan-remains secure and confidential.

Conclusion

Digital health data security challenges India are real and growing. However, with stronger frameworks, advanced encryption, compliance with DPDP and ABDM, and dedicated platforms like SecondMedic prioritizing patient security, India is building a safer digital healthcare ecosystem. Protecting health data is not just a compliance requirement-it is the foundation of patient trust and the future of Indian healthcare.

References

CERT-In Cybersecurity Report 2024
DPDP Act 2023
ABDM Health Data Framework
NITI Aayog - Digital Health Roadmap
Kaspersky Healthcare Cyber Threat Report
Economic Times - Healthcare Cyberattacks India

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