By the Properdose Care Team · Medically reviewed by: Dr. Jayesh Sonvani, M.D. Pediatrics, Chief Neonatologist & Pediatrician · Last updated: July 14, 2026
Quick answer: In 2026, Indian families have three real options for remote elder care: government platforms like eSanjeevani and the ABHA digital health record for consultations and prescriptions, private telehealth apps like Practo, Tata 1mg, and Apollo 24/7 for on-demand doctor access, and a growing category of remote monitoring devices, from home BP monitors to connected medication dispensers like Properdose, that share health data with family caregivers. Here's what each actually does, and doesn't do yet.
Remote monitoring and telehealth is the fastest-growing part of India's eldercare technology landscape, and for good reason. With India's 60-plus population headed toward 173 million this year and a large share of adult children living in a different city or country from their parents, "just visit the doctor" isn't always realistic. But the category is also genuinely confusing: government portals, hospital apps, insurance pilots, and consumer gadgets all get lumped under "telehealth," and they solve different problems. This guide breaks down what's actually available today, what it can and can't do, and where the gaps still are.
Telehealth vs. Remote Patient Monitoring: Two Different Things
These terms get used interchangeably, but they aren't the same service.
Telehealth is a live or asynchronous consultation with a doctor over video, phone, or chat. It replaces a clinic visit, not ongoing tracking.
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is continuous or periodic data, blood pressure, glucose, medication adherence, sent from a device in your parent's home to a caregiver, doctor, or care platform, without a scheduled appointment.
Most families end up needing both: telehealth for the doctor conversation, RPM for everything that happens between conversations.
What's Available Through Government Platforms
eSanjeevani, India's national telemedicine service, has now crossed 338 million consultations since its 2019 launch, making it the largest government-led telemedicine program in the world. Around 12% of its users are senior citizens, and the platform specifically targets rural and semi-urban access gaps. It's free at the point of use and works through local health and wellness centres, though most consultations are provider-assisted rather than a direct video call your parent makes alone.
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is the layer underneath most of this. It has issued over 93 crore ABHA health IDs and linked more than 105 crore digital health records nationally. In practice, an ABHA ID lets your parent's prescriptions, lab reports, and consultation history follow them between a government hospital, a private clinic, and a telehealth app, instead of living in a folder of loose papers. The Aarogya Setu 2.0 app is one of the interfaces for managing this, including some wearable device integration.
What's Available Through Private Platforms
Private players are further ahead on convenience, further behind on being purpose-built for elderly users specifically.
Practo and Tata 1mg offer on-demand video consultations, e-pharmacy delivery, and diagnostic test bookings, useful for routine prescription refills and non-urgent symptoms without a hospital visit.
Apollo 24/7 and Apollo TeleHealth combine teleconsultation with a fuller ecosystem, including hospital-at-home and virtual ICU-style programs that route real-time vitals to a central monitoring team for post-surgical and chronic-disease patients in major metros.
None of these platforms were designed primarily for a caregiver managing an ageing parent's care from another city, so most families end up using them alongside a family WhatsApp group or a shared spreadsheet to track what's actually happening.
Remote Monitoring Devices You Can Buy Today
Beyond apps, a real market of connected home devices now exists for tracking a parent's vitals without a clinic visit.
Home blood pressure and glucose monitors with app or SMS connectivity are widely available and increasingly affordable, letting a caregiver check readings remotely instead of asking "did you check your BP today?"
Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have entered the Indian market at a range of price points, from roughly ₹3,000 to ₹12,000 per sensor depending on brand and wear duration, a meaningful drop from a few years ago.
Connected medication dispensers, including Properdose, sit in this same category: instead of tracking a vital sign, they verify whether a scheduled dose was actually taken and alert a caregiver if it wasn't.
The throughline across all of these is the same: data leaves the home in real time, instead of surfacing only at the next in-person visit.
What the Rules Actually Allow
Telehealth in India runs under the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines issued in 2020, still the governing framework in 2026. A few points matter for families relying on it:
Doctors can prescribe most medications through a teleconsultation, but not Schedule X drugs or narcotics.
For chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension, a teleconsultation can only refill or add on to a prescription that came from an in-person visit within the last six months. It generally can't be the starting point for treating a new chronic condition.
Some state governments, including Karnataka, Telangana, and Maharashtra, are piloting insurance reimbursement for virtual visits tied to device-submitted vitals, which is a meaningful signal that RPM is moving from novelty to covered care, though this isn't yet standard nationally.
In short: telehealth is genuinely useful for follow-ups and routine management, but it isn't a full substitute for an in-person relationship with your parent's doctor, particularly when a new diagnosis is involved.
Where It Still Falls Short
A balanced view means naming the real gaps, not just the growth numbers.
Digital literacy among elderly users is low.
Research on rural older adults in India found digital literacy around 11%, and while roughly half own a mobile phone, very few use smartphones or the internet to contact health professionals directly. In practice, most elderly users need a family member or health worker to operate the technology on their behalf.
Connectivity is inconsistent outside major cities.
Poor internet access and intermittent electricity remain real barriers to sustained telehealth use in smaller towns and rural areas.
Trust and habit still favour in-person care.
Many older adults, and their doctors, still default to physical visits, particularly for anything that feels serious.
None of this means the category isn't working, it means the current generation of tools mostly succeeds when a family member sets it up and stays involved, rather than when a parent is expected to manage it alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is telehealth free in India for senior citizens?
Government platforms like eSanjeevani are free at the point of use. Private telehealth apps typically charge a consultation fee per session, though some offer subscription plans that include unlimited consultations.
Can a doctor prescribe medication for my parent's diabetes or blood pressure through a video call?
Only as a refill or add-on to a prescription from an in-person visit within the last six months, under India's Telemedicine Practice Guidelines. A teleconsultation generally can't be the first point of diagnosis and treatment for a new chronic condition.
What's the difference between telehealth and remote patient monitoring?
Telehealth is a consultation with a doctor over video or phone. Remote patient monitoring is ongoing data, like blood pressure readings or medication adherence, sent from a device in your parent's home to a caregiver or care team without a scheduled appointment. Most families benefit from both.
Do I need my parent to be tech-savvy for remote monitoring to work?
Not necessarily. Most successful setups involve a family member managing the app or device on the parent's behalf, at least initially. Devices designed for elderly users, like connected medication dispensers or simple BP monitors, are built to need minimal input from the parent themselves.
Is remote patient monitoring covered by insurance in India?
Not yet nationally. A few states, including Karnataka, Telangana, and Maharashtra, are piloting reimbursement for virtual visits linked to device-submitted vitals, but this is still an early-stage pilot rather than standard coverage.
This article is for general educational purposes and reflects the telehealth and remote monitoring landscape in India as of mid-2026, a fast-changing space. It is not a substitute for advice from your parent's doctor or a licensed insurance advisor.
