Fortis Healthcare on Wednesday said it has rolled out online consultations for patients in 23 hospitals across its country-wide network amid the lockdown to contain coronavirus infections.

As the country continues with its lockdown, the step was conceived to continue patient care services without risking the health of patients or doctors, the healthcare major said in a statement.

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Both tele-consults, as well as video consult services, have been running successfully with encouraging response from patients, it added.

“E-consultations are being organised to ensure the continuity of care for post-surgical upcountry patients," Fortis Healthcare Managing Director and CEO Ashutosh Raghuvanshi said.

Besides, patients with ailments like diabetes or hypertension and expecting mothers can also consult the doctors through this facility, he added.

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"As the proactive lockdown was necessary to fight off this pandemic, it must not be an excuse to delay any health consultations that our patients wanted to avail," Raghuvanshi said.

Over 8,000 consultations have taken place via the e-consulting medium till now across various hospitals, Fortis said.

Fortis Hospital in Mohali saw the maximum number of e-consults at 1,539 followed by Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) in Gurugram at 1,330. Fortis Hospital, BG Road, in Bengaluru had 1,117 consultations since the start of this service.

The online consults take place during the regular outpatient department (OPD) hours at normal rates and doctors from specialties like neurology, gynecology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, pediatrics and internal medicine are providing online consultations as of now, it added.