Since independence, India has undergone a tremendous transformation in its health trip. It starts from the founding of the Mudaliar Committee and the Bhore Committee and their recommendations which played an important role in shaping the health policies and infrastructure in India.
These recommendations allowed the establishment of Primary Health Centers (APS) and the development of secondary and tertiary care hospitals in the country. India today Health Care System stands on this foundation.
He Health sector In India there is a complex ecosystem with government, supplier, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, each playing an important role in the development of the industry. According to industry reports, India’s healthcare sector was worth around USD 280 billion in 2020 and was estimated to reach USD 372 billion by 2022.
And several innovations have been introduced over the years to address concerns of access, affordability, and delivery of quality care across the country. For example, telemedicine and m-health initiatives by government and private actors have led to better outreach and quality in healthcare management while being highly cost-effective. And as we continue to evolve the healthcare journey, we must embrace technology if we have to effectively care for a population of 1,400 million people in the country.
Embrace technology and strengthen infrastructure
A strong healthcare infrastructure is essential for efficient and sustainable healthcare delivery. The main imperatives of the health system are:
●increase access and reach to your consumers
●increase efficiency in service delivery
●improve quality of care at all levels of affordability
With corporate hospitals, India has set benchmarks for exceptional tertiary care by incorporating advanced medical infrastructure and technology into healthcare services. But similar efforts should also be made in primary and secondary care settings. While a lot of infrastructure is in place, especially in secondary care, the focus needs to be on upgrading existing facilities and investing in medical equipment and supplies.
In addition, improving connectivity between health centers through telecommunications networks can facilitate the exchange of medical information and allow remote consultations and diagnoses. In addition, we have to take advantage digital health solutionssuch as telemedicine, electronic health records (EHRs), and health apps, to overcome geographic barriers and expand access to healthcare services. Government initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) are steps in the right direction, with the creation of a public digital infrastructure that will ensure greater inclusion of quality healthcare services.
Promotion of preventive care
There is also a growing burden of chronic diseases in India, a recent report showed that 11.4 percent of Indians are diabetics and 35.5 percent suffer from hypertension. In addition, abdominal obesity is situated in 40 percent of the population. If corrective measures are not taken, the costs of healthcare in India will skyrocket in the near future. There is an urgent need to move beyond curative clinical practice and embrace prevention, wellness and holistic care for the long-term sustainability of the Indian healthcare system.
Efforts should be made to raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, including proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management. And new-age healthcare models that integrate the physical and digital realms must be used to optimize the efficiency of today’s ecosystem and provide patients with timely and quality care.
By embracing technology, healthcare systems can use a data-driven approach to deliver personalized, patient-centered care. For example, data from sensors, medical instruments, trackers, and wearable devices can be valuable to clinicians to ensure better quality care and positive patient outcomes.
India is known all over the world for the best healthcare professionals and is even called the world’s pharmacy for its ability to provide global standard medicines across the globe. We have the potential to expand this capability across the ecosystem through effective collaboration across the value chain to introduce new technologies/drugs, reduce costs, increase awareness and acceptance of preventative measures, and make the medical care is accessible.
By embracing digital health solutions, strengthening infrastructure, promoting preventative care, fostering collaborations, and investing in human resources, India can achieve a healthcare system that is capable of meeting the evolving healthcare needs of its population. A more efficient and sustainable healthcare system will contribute to better health outcomes, lower healthcare costs and a healthier future for all Indians.
Dr. Alexander Kuruvilla, Director of Health Strategy, Practice and Co-Chair, IAMAI HealthTech Committee
(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by ETHealthworld. ETHealthworld.com shall not be liable for any damage caused to any person or organization directly or indirectly.)
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