Indian healthcare industry is working to maximise technology implementation to help address challenges like the shortage of doctors. The G20 summit, under India’s presidency, emphasized the importance of digital health innovations in achieving universal health convergence.
With an increasing demand for quality healthcare, technological advancements and investments in health infrastructure are crucial. Addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals, with a doctor-population ratio of 1:834, requires innovative solutions, where technology plays a pivotal role, noted Anshuman Krishanu, chief operating officer, RODIC Consultants.
Digital technology is emerging as a powerful force for change in the healthcare sector. Initiatives like Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health-related Sustainable Development Goals can be accelerated through the use of digital health technologies, he added.
To support this, the global Initiative on Digital Health was launched, a joint effort between the WHO and the G20 India presidency. Around 1.4 billion people in India grapple with limitations in accessing crucial healthcare services.
Digital transformation in healthcare relies on accessible infrastructure and training. India’s Digital programme through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Healthcare Mobile Apps, and Online Pharmacy Platforms. Aarogya Setu, e-Sanjeevani, and e-Hospital have expanded access nationwide.
The Indian medtech industry, valued at $10.63 billion in 2020, is now projected to reach $50 billion by 2025. The hospital industry, comprising 80% of the healthcare market, attracts significant investor interest. India ranks 10th in the Medical Tourism Index, solidifying its status as a healthcare destination.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionizing healthcare, enabling effective clinical triage, accurate diagnostics, improved therapeutics, streamlined workflows, precise disease prognostication, and advanced pharmacotherapies. Advancements in IoT-based (Internet of Things) solutions, can combat the current challenges posed in the cyber ecosystem such as data reliability, privacy, liability, decreased human interaction, and affordability. Nevertheless, the integration of AI and ML holds immense potential to reshape how the world delivers and manages healthcare, offering new avenues for innovation and improved patient outcomes. The digital transformation of India’s healthcare industry has the potential to accelerate, to approximately $37 billion by 2030, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and B Capital, he said.
Globally, healthcare is undergoing a phenomenal transformation empowered by a tech revolution. A patient in a rural village in Africa can link up with a cardiologist in a bustling European city for a consultation via telemedicine, blurring geographical boundaries and democratizing access to quality care, makes this a reality. Effective oversight is, however, essential to monitor the quality of technology-driven healthcare facilities and hence a strong regulatory body is needed.
Quoting the Grand View Research, Inc., which states telemedicine market is projected to reach a size of US$ 380.3 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 18.0% from 2024 to 2030. In resource-limited settings, this technology is bridging the gap between patients and specialists, particularly in geographically remote areas. Transcending borders in diagnosis, the digital health technology is making a global impact, said Krishanu.
For India’s healthcare to embrace technological progress fully, achieving this potential necessitates collaboration among industry stakeholders and with major communication strategy to create awareness and move people into action. A two way communication for transparent feedback will empower patients and end-users for the constant upgradation of the facilities. As India adopts digital innovation, the healthcare industry stands poised for unprecedented growth and transformation, said Krishanu.
