Globally healthcare as an Industry is evolving and trying to find solutions to help improve the reach and ensure the quality & delivery of offerings is better. Today the world has become one large connected community. Essentially, healthcare encompasses hospitals, clinics, medical equipment & devices, outsourcing, health insurance and telemedicine. In India, the healthcare industry is one of the country’s largest sectors, both in terms of revenue and employment. Besides, there is increasing expenditure by the government and the private players as well. As a result, the industry is growing at a tremendous pace. Over the last two decades or so, the growing population in India with increasing awareness, willingness to spend has ensured and created the opportunity to provide better healthcare facilities at an affordable cost. healthcare demands are changing! The simple mantra is to make healthcare available for everyone, anytime and any where.

Some of the challenges with healthcare delivery in India are – lack of enough trained healthcare professionals/resources, a general lack of disease awareness & intervention, inadequate healthcare infrastructure (diagnosis & screening centers), unregulated growth, unstructured healthcare system (inefficiencies). Patient dissatisfaction due to indifferent staff (poor communication), excessive waiting time, billing related problems, and unorganized administration is another major factor to be looked into. We need to address the issue of accessibility by

filling the critical gaps in the healthcare delivery value chain Clearly there is an urgent need in India to look into the healthcare delivery models and focus should be on –

• Educate the importance of 'Preventive Healthcare' and shift the present practice of ‘Cure Focused Healthcare’
• Importance needs to be attached to 'Public Health' & 'Keeping People Healthy'
• Telemedicine& Telehealth - Promote/Improve/Provide accessibility & affordability, utilize technology to disrupt and impact healthcare delivery to ensure reach
• Improving the penetration of 'Health Insurance'
• Decentralize & Empower Healthcare delivery (example-portable and innovative medical devices)
• Maintenance of electronic health records and medical protocols

In India, the healthcare industry is one of the country’s largest sectors, both in terms of revenue and employment

Let us take the example of doctor availability - In today’s times when everything is so fast and always available, healthcare is often neglected and underserved. Health care takes a backseat. And some of the reasons are quite simple and often unnoticed:

• Accessibility - It consumes time to go to a nearby clinic or to your usual known healthcare center
• Then you have got to go through the formalities - waiting for your turn; maybe register yourselves or if you are registered then validate the information amongst others, pay the doctor consultation fees, while you wait
• You must work your schedules (re arrange) around to ensure your need is completed and many more

Owing to the above reasons, often, people choose to procrastinate. They put off their health issues till the last moment when it becomes full-blown and then they are left with no choice but to attend to it. At such stages, the treatment also becomes complicated/expensive/and in some extreme cases unfortunate.

Here is where there are opportunities to redefine the Patient - Doctor interaction delivered on digital technology platform and processes, so that people lead healthier/productive lives. It is clear Technology has a big role to play in deciding the future of healthcare. For example, technology will ensure focus on specific aspects of healthcare delivery like optimization ‘Point of Care’ diagnosis. Healthcare Delivery Disruption Starts Here - Start Today!