Narayana Health is strengthening its digital healthcare capabilities through a partnership with Cisco aimed at bringing specialist medical expertise to patients beyond major urban centres. The collaboration will use Cisco’s Virtual Expertise Digital Solution to support remote diagnosis and consultations in several critical medical specialties.
The initiative is being developed under a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations. It combines a secure medical-grade network with high-definition, two-way video and digital transmission of clinical information, allowing specialists at Narayana Health to support patients remotely.
The initial focus will cover neurology, nephrology, oncology and cardiology, with the objective of making advanced specialist care more accessible and affordable for patients across different parts of India.
As part of the collaboration, Cisco will help upgrade hospital infrastructure at Narayana Health facilities, including district-level centres and multispecialty hospitals. The programme will initially connect three centres — Sirsi and Bellary in Karnataka and Rajarhat in West Bengal — with Narayana Health City in Bommasandra, Bengaluru.
The technology can transmit medical device data, ECG readings, vital signs, radiology information, audio and high-definition video in real time. It also supports analytics of medical reports and access through a web-based platform designed to work with mobile endpoints.
By bringing these capabilities together, the system allows Narayana Health specialists to virtually connect with patients irrespective of their location. The model is designed to extend specialist expertise to areas where access to highly trained medical professionals may be limited.
Patient data security is another key component of the platform. The solution uses encryption to protect medical records and clinical information during storage and transmission, helping safeguard patient privacy and prevent unauthorised access or alteration of data.
“Healthcare and its inaccessibility is a persistent concern in India. We are in an era of digital transformation, and as hospitals begin this transition, we need to create infrastructure that is agile and adds value to patient care,” said Dr. Devi Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Health. “Our association with Cisco will help Narayana Health to move closer to realize its vision of becoming a digital hospital and deliver advanced specialized healthcare to both rural as well as urban populations. We are looking forward to further deepening and leveraging this relationship in future”, he added.
VC Gopalratnam, CIO, APJC, President, IT and Chief of Strategy, Planning and Operations, Cisco India, said, “Narayana Health has redefined how super-specialty healthcare is delivered. Using highly secure medical-grade networks with immersive visual experiences we can virtualize scarce resources including doctors, nurses and paramedics and provide access to specialist consultants remotely. We are excited that our collaboration with Narayana Health demonstrates the future of health and healthcare in India.”
The partnership highlights the growing role of digital infrastructure in expanding specialist healthcare beyond traditional hospital settings. For India’s medical tourism and healthcare ecosystem, such connected-care models could also contribute to wider access to expert medical opinion and advanced diagnostics.
(Photo: narayanahealth.org, AI generated)