RUDRA: A new technology to examine patients

Ayurveda

Coimbatore Arya Vaidhya Pharmacy Research has developed a new system, RUDRA, to examine patients and document the proof of medical examination and consultation. The system acts as a 'thrid eye' that monitors doctors while they check patients.

CAN YOU imagine a ’third eye’ monitoring when a doctor examines a patient? The system of examining patients is going to witness a major change as the Coimbatore Arya Vaidhya Pharmacy Research (AVP) director P Ram Manohar has introduced a new system called Random Uninterrupted Documentation for Retrospective Analysis (RUDRA) for the purpose.



The basic operation plan of RUDRA programme is to screen patients through three procedures. First, the registration process where a set of questions is given to the patients to know how many doctors they had consulted so far, which medicine system they had used, why they chose a particular hospital etc.


The second, the documentation room, otherwise known as the Third Eye, where the patients are screened by a team of researchers to analyse the diseases. The programme also helps to know that whether the treament has any postive effect on the patient, the root cause of disease etc.


The third, as usual, the patients would be examined by the doctor. But here the advantage is that the physicians will have a good idea about the disease of the patients even before seeing them,” said Manohar in an exclusive interview.


“Actually, when Ayurveda comes at international level, western doctors seek evidence for treatment as they are following evidence –based system. Often, we fail to provide it. So, in order to avoid that, we have to create a network of practice-based research clinics to generate epidemiological data and evidence of safety and efficacy. It led to the formation of RUDRA,” said Manohar.


“We have developed a special software to monitor the number of patients queued for registration, documentation and consultation. So, we ensure that no patient will have to wait for the doctor for a long time,” he said.


Explaining the difficulties he had earlier faced for implementing the programme, which was launched in 2003, Manohar said that the idea had come during his post graduation studies at Coppa Ayurveda College, Karnataka. “I sought many institutions consent for starting the project but they didn’t come forward. Finally, AVP accepted it and is giving tremendous support,” he said.


To expand the RUDRA as a national-level system, the AVP is planning to set up training centers to groom researchers through Ayush (Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare). Already, the programme has been implemented at the National Institute of Jaipur and the Central Research Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi. When asked about the patent, Manohar said that rather than publicity and monopoly “we aim at promoting ayurveda.”


“Whole-heartedly, we are happy to dedicate the programme to the nation and our institution will be recongnised for our contribution. We hope, in future with the support of Ayush it can be developed as a private-public partnership for the public", he said. “Tussle between physicians and researchers will be a matter of concern as some doctors won’t like monitoring them. But others feel it’s a good method. Besides, quality control training is another issue as we are the pioneers. Trained people are less in number. So we have to manage the trainees. Sometimes, the patients who are fed up with monitoring the system ask why all these procedures? Then we will convince them that its for their better health," the AVP authorities said.