Mobile Telemedicine Unit for Oral Cancer Screening
A telemedicine unit exclusively for Oral Cancer is the first of its kind in our country. The state-of-the-art vehicle has 2 fully functional dental chairs, a digital x-ray, and a telemedicine facility that enables communication and consultation which aid in diagnosis and treatment planning. It is also equipped with Oral Scan – an LED-based cancer screening device that aids in diagnosis, investigation, treatment planning, and prognosis. The unit has a carbon monoxide breath analyzer that measures the carbon monoxide levels in the blood. It is an educational tool and a valuable aid in habit cessation counseling. The vehicle is also fitted with a Global Positioning System. The mobile unit is WiFi-enabled and has cloud-based patient management software which can be accessed from the institution also. The vehicle is also equipped with a television and public address system.
Mobile telemedicine thus is a big boon to the project. It enables the use of advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities in camp settings. Radiographic and biopsy investigations can be done in the unit. The unit can be used to provide awareness and personalized counseling. A mobile dental unit can be of utmost use in patients requiring palliative oral health care. The mobile dental unit can provide access to oral health care to these patients. The unit will make oral health care and cancer screening more accessible and affordable thereby expanding the scope, reach, effectiveness, and efficiency of the project. We also plan to focus more on the tribal population – yet another population with the prolific use of tobacco and alcohol. This latest addition can scale up the project to greater heights and help us move closer to our aim of reducing the prevalence and incidence of oral cancer in the community through a holistic approach.