Since its launch in 2021, NCG-KCDO has initiated several initiatives to drive Digital Health adoption across the NCG hospital network.
Our initiatives support hospitals, clinicians, and patients with tools like AI, EMRs, and teleconsultation platforms. Each initiative is supported by NCG cancer experts in addition to technology experts.
Given the scale and complexity of the Indian healthcare ecosystem, each initiative will take significant time and effort from definition, development to implementation.
We have empaneled 6 nationally recognized EMR vendors, creating a robust ecosystem to support cancer care. Our efforts go beyond vendor selection - we actively collaborate with these vendors to develop and enhance world-class features for medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. By ensuring these EMRs meet the unique needs of oncology care, we are enabling hospitals to provide more precise, efficient, and patient-centered care.
Our initiative addresses this by involving clinical assistants (trained nurses or doctors) to compile essential patient information on the tech platform, organizing medical history and reports for streamlined oncologist review. The platform will also feature oncology-specific workflows and templates to improve efficiency and user experience for both patients and providers.
The Digital Health Solution Library (DHSL) is a centralized online repository of technology solutions applicable to cancer care. NCG-KCDO is planning to design it to help NCG network centres discover a wide spectrum of technology solutions to meet their unique needs.
The Digital Health Foundation Course (DHFC) is a self-paced program designed to empower oncology professionals with basic awareness and understanding of digital health. This course is designed for residents, nurses, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals interested in adopting and utilizing digital health solutions.
The Virtual Tumor Board (VTB) library will provide access to a curated collection of recorded VTB discussions from the National Cancer Grid (NCG), presenting a wide range of complex cases reviewed by multidisciplinary teams. Designed to enhance clinical decision-making and foster collaborative learning, the VTB Library will offer insights into various approaches to diagnosis, treatment planning, and management of cancer cases.
Approach: Each recorded VTB case will be edited to remove any patient identifiable information as well as redundant information to create a concise version that has the relevant case details, discussion and recommendation. The VTB Library is being piloted with pediatric oncology cases with future expansions planned to include additional oncology specialties.
NCG is re-architecting its Synoptic Reporting Platform (SRP) to standardize diagnostic reporting for pathologists and radiologists, enhancing accuracy and consistency in cancer diagnostics. Machine-readable reports will enable AI/ML-driven insights, supporting research and predictive diagnostics across NCG centers. By making the SRP affordable and accessible, NCG aims to establish a uniform standard for diagnostic excellence, fostering collaboration, innovation, and improved cancer care outcomes.
NCG is developing two mobile apps to enhance cancer care accessibility and professional collaboration. The NCG-Patient App will provide educational resources, patient support tools, and access to cancer centers, empowering individuals with reliable information on prevention, detection, and treatment. The NCG-Connect App will serve as a collaboration platform for NCG centers and oncology professionals, facilitating real-time discussions, research exchange, virtual tumor boards, and training opportunities to strengthen cancer care nationwide.
NCG is developing an AI-ML framework to advance cancer diagnosis, optimize treatment, and drive research innovation. Through the Accelerate-Promote-Transform approach, it will support AI development, validate and scale proven solutions, and tackle complex oncology challenges in collaboration with health tech companies and research institutions. This initiative aims to integrate AI-driven efficiencies across NCG centers, improving cancer care nationwide.