Welcome To XpressCure Ethical Norms & Guidelines XpressCure eClinic Teleconsultation Ethical Policy 1) Purpose To set clear, enforceable ethics for teleconsultations on XpressCure—protecting patient safety, privacy, and professional integrity—benchmarked to international best practices (WHO telemedicine principles, NHS digital standards) and aligned with India’s NMC Telemedicine Practice Guidelines (2020). 2) Scope This policy applies to: - All doctors consulting on XpressCure - All healthworkers operating XpressCure eClinics - All patients using XpressCure services 3) Guiding Principles Patient-Centric Care Teleconsultation must meet the same standard of care expected in-person, with patient dignity and safety paramount. Informed Consent Patients are informed that the consultation is via telemedicine. On XpressCure, entering the OTP sent to the patient’s WhatsApp number at registration constitutes explicit consent to consult and to process medical data within the platform. Confidentiality & Privacy All sessions are encrypted; records stay within XpressCure. Access is role-based and auditable. Data is never shared outside the platform without lawful basis. Professional Integrity Doctors practice within scope and evidence standards. Healthworkers facilitate (they do not diagnose or prescribe). Schedule X and habit-forming drugs are not permitted for tele-prescription and must not be prescribed. Transparency & Accountability All clinical interactions (history, assessment, medical advice, prescriptions, referrals) are documented on-platform and traceable. Cultural & Regional Sensitivity Communicate in a language the patient understands. Healthworkers are responsible for bridging language/understanding gaps—ensuring the doctor’s advice is clearly conveyed and the patient’s history/symptoms are accurately relayed. Equitable Access Doctors and healthworkers must provide unbiased care—no discrimination by gender, age, caste, religion, disability, or economic status. Ensure reasonable accommodations (e.g., slower pace, repeat explanations, text summaries) when needed. 4) Roles & Responsibilities Doctors • Take adequate history, assess appropriately, and issue a complete digital prescription on-platform to close the case. • Prescription Timeliness: The consulting doctor must issue and upload the digital prescription within 5 minutes of completing the consultation. Failure to do so will result in the consultation being marked as cancelled and no payment released. • Repeated delays may lead to suspension or termination from the XpressCure eClinic platform. • When consultation is not within the purview of the Doctor: initiate in-app referral to the relevant department first, and advise physical examination where indicated—consistent with your professional oath. • Keep video on during the consultation. Healthworkers • Prepare accurate vitals/history; ensure good lighting, connectivity, and patient identity verification. • Facilitate communication (translation, clarification) without offering medical advice. • Never represent themselves as doctors; never prescribe. Patients • Provide truthful information; follow the doctor’s plan; use the platform for follow-ups and record-keeping. 5) Ethical Boundaries • No off-platform contact sharing: Doctors, healthworkers, and patients must not exchange phone numbers, WhatsApp IDs, emails, clinic addresses, or social handles during or after the consult. All communication must remain on XpressCure for patient safety, auditability, and medico-legal protection. • No off-platform payments or referrals: Billing, follow-ups, and referrals occur only via XpressCure. • No prescription without assessment: A digital record (history + assessment) is mandatory before any prescription. • Prescription Timeliness: All prescriptions must be issued within 5 minutes post-consultation, else the case will be cancelled and unpaid. Repeated delays invite suspension/termination. • Emergency rule: If signs of emergency are present (e.g., chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe trauma), immediately advise nearest emergency facility and record the referral; do not continue a routine teleconsulting. • Correct department routing: Book and consult in the appropriate specialty; do not misroute cases to minimize time and avoid suspension/termination of your account. Prohibited drugs: No Schedule X or habit-forming medications may be prescribed via telemedicine. • No harassment or misconduct: Any form of abusive language, coercion, or unprofessional behavior is strictly prohibited. Video-on professionalism: Except for documented exceptions, video must be on, patient identity reasonably verified, and environment professional. 6) International Benchmarks Reflected - WHO: safety, confidentiality, equity, documentation. - NHS: continuity, clear consent, secure records, referral clarity. - NMC India: telemedicine categories, scope, documentation, and restricted substances. 7) Monitoring & Enforcement Random Audits XpressCure may conduct random audits of consultation records, prescriptions, and routing decisions to verify compliance, quality, and safety. Disciplinary Action (examples, non-exhaustive) Violations—including but not limited to: -Sharing contact details. - Off-platform consultations or payments. - Consulting in the wrong department. - Placing patients at risk by ignoring red flags. - Issuing prescriptions without adequate assessment/documentation. - Keeping video off without justified reason. - Unprofessional conduct. - Delays or failures in issuing prescriptions. - Attempts to bypass the platform. Such actions will lead to suspension and/or termination of access to the XpressCure eClinic platform. Repeat or egregious violations may prompt notification to relevant authorities as per law. 8) Zero-Tolerance for Illegal Practices Any illegal activity at or through XpressCure eClinic—such as forged prescriptions, impersonation, sale of restricted substances, or data misuse—will not be tolerated. Such centers are not part of XpressCure and will face immediate termination and, where applicable, legal escalation.
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