How digital hospitals and telehealth are transforming healthcare in Bangladesh

58-year-old farmer Abdul Karim from Rangpur fell ill during the monsoon last year, he could not afford to travel to Dhaka for a medical consultation. Instead, his son dialled 16263, Bangladesh's national health helpline, and within minutes, Karim was speaking to a licensed doctor. A prescription followed via SMS, and medicine arrived two days later through an online pharmacy.

"I never thought I would see a doctor without leaving home," he said. "But now, my phone has become my hospital."

Karim's story mirrors a quiet revolution unfolding across Bangladesh. From bustling hospitals in Dhaka to remote clinics in Kurigram, digital technology is redefining how healthcare is delivered, making it more accessible, efficient, and patient-centred. Driven by the government's Digital Bangladesh initiative and the National Digital Health Strategy (2023–2027), this transformation is reshaping both public and private healthcare systems.

Telemedicine and online doctor visits

In a country where nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas with limited access to healthcare professionals, telemedicine has become a lifeline. The concept is simple but powerful, bringing doctors to patients through phones, apps, and digital platforms.

"Telemedicine bridges the urban-rural healthcare divide like nothing else," said Dr Nusrat Jahan, a general practitioner who offers online consultations. "Patients who once travelled six hours for a 10-minute appointment can now reach us instantly."

The benefits are tangible. For patients with chronic diseases like diabetes or hypertension, regular follow-ups through video calls, phone consultations, or even text-based chats save time and cost while ensuring continuity of care. For non-emergency cases, these virtual visits reduce hospital overcrowding and help doctors focus on critical patients.

Government-backed services have been pivotal. The Directorate General of Health Services operates mobile-based health services across upazila and district hospitals. Its flagship 24/7 hotline, "Sasthyo Batayan", connects citizens to licensed doctors free of cost, a service that handled over two million calls last year.

Private innovators are pushing the boundaries even further. CliniCall, for instance, offers 24/7 doctor-on-call services via a toll-free number, allowing anyone,  regardless of internet access, to consult a physician. The company also partners with local pharmacies to distribute calling cards for people without smartphones. "Our goal is to make healthcare as easy as making a phone call," said CliniCall's co-founder, Mahbub Rahman. "No one should be denied care just because they cannot get online."

Digital Hospitals

While telemedicine connects patients and doctors, another digital revolution is transforming hospitals themselves. From patient registration to billing, Hospital Management Software is automating the administrative backbone of healthcare.

At Dhaka's Medinova Hospital, a fully digitalised system tracks patient appointments, manages electronic health records, and coordinates diagnostic results in real-time. "We have reduced paperwork by 80% and errors by almost half," said hospital administrator Rehana Chowdhury. "Doctors can now focus on patients rather than paperwork."

Modern hospital software integrates everything from appointment scheduling and pharmacy inventory to payroll and bed allocation. With Electronic Medical Records, physicians can instantly access a patient's medical history, past prescriptions, and test results, leading to faster and more accurate diagnoses.

Data-driven insights are another frontier. Advanced systems use Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to forecast patient trends and even predict localised disease outbreaks. "Digital tools are not just helping us respond to illnesses," said Dr Jahan. "They are helping us anticipate them."

Startups bringing health home

Beyond hospitals, young Bangladeshi startups are harnessing technology to bring healthcare to people's doorsteps, often literally.

Amarlab, a Dhaka-based health-tech startup, offers home-based diagnostic test collection and online consultations. Patients book a test via the app or website, and trained health workers collect samples from home. "We realised that elderly and disabled patients were skipping tests because of travel difficulties," said Amarlab's co-founder, Nabeel Islam. "We wanted to close that gap."

Meanwhile, Jeeon connects rural patients to qualified doctors using a hybrid model that links local health workers with urban physicians. Community health agents in remote villages use mobile apps to collect patient data and facilitate real-time consultations. "We are building digital bridges where physical roads do not exist," said Jeeon's field operations manager, Tahmina Akter.

BD Meds, another rising name, operates as both an online pharmacy and telehealth provider, allowing patients to order medicines and consult doctors from the same platform. With logistics partnerships extending into rural districts, BD Meds ensures that even patients in hard-to-reach areas receive essential medication on time.

Together, these startups are redefining accessibility, offering hope in places where hospitals are miles away and specialists even further.

Challenges ahead

Despite these gains, Bangladesh's digital healthcare journey is far from smooth. Many rural areas still struggle with poor internet connectivity and unstable electricity — critical barriers to consistent telehealth services.

"Technology is ready, but infrastructure is not," said IT consultant Ahsan Hossain, who advises hospitals on software implementation. "A digital hospital cannot function when the power goes out every few hours."

Digital literacy remains another obstacle. While awareness of online health services is growing, actual usage remains low due to limited technical skills and trust issues. Many elderly patients are reluctant to use apps or share personal health data.

Data privacy and cybersecurity are emerging concerns as well. With the increasing use of cloud-based systems and electronic records, protecting sensitive medical information is vital. Experts argue that strong regulations and transparent enforcement are needed to build public trust.

Then there is the financial hurdle. Smaller hospitals and clinics often find it expensive to implement full-scale digital management systems. "The cost of adopting hospital software is still beyond the reach of many rural facilities," said Chowdhury. "Without government subsidies or partnerships, they will lag behind."

Resistance to change also lingers within the healthcare workforce. Doctors and administrative staff accustomed to traditional, paper-based systems are often hesitant to embrace new digital workflows. "It is not just about technology, it is about changing mindsets," said Hossain.

New era of healing

Despite these challenges, momentum continues to build. With government support, private innovation, and growing patient demand, digital healthcare in Bangladesh is poised for exponential growth.

In a small village in Khulna, a mother recently used her neighbour's smartphone to book an online consultation for her feverish child. The doctor on the screen was sitting hundreds of kilometres away in Dhaka. Within hours, medicine arrived through a local pharmacy linked to an online delivery platform.

Such scenes are becoming increasingly common, symbols of a healthcare system in transition, where the walls of hospitals are slowly being replaced by the reach of technology.

As Dr Nusrat Jahan reflected, "We're entering an age where care no longer depends on distance. In Bangladesh, the hospital is no longer a building, it's a network, a call, a click away."