Covid-19 epidemics, rapid digitization, increased access to the Internet and smartphones, and government initiatives such as National Digital Health Mission and Mac In India, the healthcare sector is rapidly digitizing and innovating. As the speed of Digital As innovation accelerates, opportunities for healthcare companies and manufacturers will increase and patient outcomes will improve.
India’s main stakeholders Digital Healthcare
Digitization of India’s healthcare will inevitably improve doctors’ practice, enhance patient-doctor communication and improve patient outcomes. In addition to the two explicit stakeholders, technological changes in the Indian healthcare system could also benefit other members of the ecosystem. The Government of India is planning to set it up National Health Stack Where all the major stakeholders like hospitals, insurance companies, TPAs, government and healthtech startups can come under one roof. These diversified stakeholders can facilitate the collection of comprehensive healthcare data electronically.
The electronic National Health Registry will allow policy makers to formulate stronger policies, detect fraud in health insurance, measure results and accelerate medical research in India. The portability of this data will reduce costs, save time, enable monitoring, improve patient outcomes and even prevent outbreaks of viruses and diseases. It will also help pharmaceutical companies, laboratories and manufacturers of medical devices take advantage of information systems to address the country’s long-running healthcare challenges and create innovative drugs, devices and solutions. In addition, the government has allocated ₹ 1600 crore for five years for the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.ABDMTo advance India’s digital healthcare.
A mixed bag of benefits and challenges
Digital healthcare has introduced telemedicine and virtual care models, which have proven to be life-saving at the peak of a deadly epidemic. According to reports, 80 per cent of doctors in northern India adopted telemedicine, 50 per cent in southern and western regions and 35 per cent in eastern India during the epidemic. As a result, patients in rural and remote areas of the country who used to stay away from healthcare services are now able to get affordable and quality healthcare. Thanks to technology, patients can now get an online consultation and have their medicine delivered to their home in a matter of minutes. In addition, the emergence of medical wearables has made patients more aware of their health and can help prevent lifestyle diseases. Artificial intelligence and robotics can also improve accuracy, enable accurate diagnosis and remote treatment.
Despite the myriad benefits of digital healthcare, the challenges in the Indian healthcare system are enormous. Lack of clear rules and guidelines can lead to fraudulent transactions, data theft and misuse of digital prescriptions and electronic health records. Another obstacle to the digitization of the healthcare system is the lack of digital infrastructure and skilled professionals. According to reports, the density of skilled active health workers in India is as low as 11 to 12 doctors and nurses / midwives per 10,000 people. Digital upskilling and robust infrastructure can prove costly and costly. India must overcome data privacy and cyber security issues to unlock its full potential in digital healthcare.
Unlocking India’s full potential
The benefits of digital healthcare transcend challenges by leaps and bounds. Government initiatives and incentives, along with changing patient expectations, have made India a fertile ground for HealthTech startups. Currently, 7,128 HealthTech startups are housed in India’s digital healthcare ecosystem. These healthcare startups aim to create specific problems and create innovative technology solutions that can help bridge the gap in the Indian healthcare system. The epidemic has further fueled global investments in healthcare startups and companies in India. An integrated network of hospitals, labs, insurance companies, pharmaceuticals and healthtech startups under the regulatory framework of government policies and guidelines can help India build a successful roadmap for the future.
Wrapping up
Going forward, the demand for digital healthcare services in the Indian healthcare system is projected to increase significantly along with the demand. The ecosystem of AI, Robotics, Telemedicine, Electronic Health Records, IoT and Digital Therapeutics will address the challenges facing the country in patient care, access to healthcare, affordability, supply chain, settlement of claims and strengthening the quality of care. From lagging behind in technology adoption to becoming a leading innovator, the healthcare sector has come a long way and is still expected to do so. The horizons of India’s digital healthcare are full of high hopes and possibilities.
Gaurav Gupta, co-founder of Navia Life Care – a health tech startup
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