The surge of telemedicine has opened new avenues for patient care, but for government doctors , private teleconsultations remain a legal grey zone . While the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines (2020) permit virtual care, state service rules and NMC regulations bind government doctors to prioritize public service. Any form of private practice including online consultations, without explicit approval, may still be treated as dual practice and invite disciplinary action.
The risks are significant: conflict of interest, medico-legal liability, patient confidentiality concerns, and potential misuse of government resources . With no explicit NMC clause on government doctors in telemedicine, the regulatory gap creates uncertainty and exposes practitioners to professional misconduct charges. Until clearer directives emerge, private teleconsultations by government doctors remain high-risk,…