Budget 2023: A new vision for India’s healthcare is needed; will the govt rise to the occasion?

Healthcare in India has progressed remarkably in the last 75 years since independence, with more than doubled life expectancy from 32 years in 1947 to 70 years. The country has now become a top draw for medical tourism, with the industry leveraging both technology and government policies. India has successfully eradicated widespread infectious diseases such as polio and smallpox, and has made significant headway in treating cancer, cardiac, and pulmonary diseases, among others. Earlier this year, the government unveiled the Heal in India campaign, a targeted outreach program to boost India’s medical tourism. The government’s focus on digitization has facilitated enhanced healthcare delivery, and digital platforms backed by the National Digital Health Mission have eased accessibility to crucial healthcare solutions.   

One of the significant achievements of the healthcare sector in recent times has been winning the battle against COVID-19. And this year, the Government has announced that India has achieved one of the targets of the National Health Policy with a significant reduction in maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Seventy-five years ago, achieving such a target may have seemed impossible.   

Intelligent Pathways to Smarter Healthcare  

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred the digital transformation of healthcare. It underlined the need for partnerships and greater collaboration which can prove to be a force multiplier in enhancing outcomes. The pandemic also fast-tracked adoption of technology to streamline the operational and clinical processes for better management of patients and to offer them access to quality service.  

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology is now emerging as a game changer that can transform the patient care pathway. As per a study by World Health Organization (WHO), AI plays a significant role through precision diagnosis in advanced care for a range of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) responsible for 66 per cent of all deaths in India, out of which 82 per cent are due to cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Ironically, most premature NCD deaths are preventable, and AI can bring down the casualty rate by enabling the detection of risk factors and helping health professionals respond faster to prevent diseases.   

Technological developments in the MedTech sector ranging from intelligent devices, telemedicine services, and remote patient monitoring facilities, have eased access for patients not only in cities but also in rural areas. Upskilled, trained healthcare professionals will be driving this transformation; hence, skilling is an integral part of this story.  

Acknowledging the Roadblocks   

The healthcare sector, particularly the public sector, still faces barriers such as inadequate access to essential healthcare services shortage of medical professionals and hospital beds. Another hurdle is India’s low public expenditure on healthcare at just over 2 per cent. Other healthcare barriers include the lack of active disease management and low priority to preventive care. Comparatively low attention to R&D and cutting-edge technology-led new projects also restrict the healthcare sector’s progress.  

Patients at the Centre  

Patient empowerment is now becoming an essential aspect of healthcare. It means continuously equipping patients with knowledge, training, support and motivation to enable them to understand the disease and the line of treatment. Healthcare players are now adopting a patient-centric approach to ensure patients get the treatment they deserve.   

Healthcare players also leverage predictive analytics, a form of advanced analytics that helps predict the future health status based on crucial factors such as historical data, statistical modelling, and machine learning. Since patient journey, diagnosis and treatment often depend on multiple factors, including genetics, family history, nutrition, physical activity and mental health, many hospitals have started using predictive analytics to determine the best treatment.  

The Road Ahead: Mapping the Future   

While India needs a holistic approach to eliminate the roadblocks in the healthcare industry, we must expand the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Blockchain to strengthen the sector with high-tech diagnostics, besides increasing the number of medical professionals, which will improve patient outcomes.  

The government and the healthcare industry must also collaborate to scale up infrastructure to meet the rising demand for diagnostics and medical devices. MedTech companies must create business models demonstrating how their new and existing devices create value for key healthcare stakeholders. We have a large population, a robust medical supply chain, almost 800 million plus smartphone users as per a recent study, innovative tech entrepreneurs, and access to funding. We must leverage these elements to boost the healthcare sector's trajectory of growth, which will be driven by longer life expectancy, a shift in disease burden, a growing middle class, and an increase in health insurance. Increased facilities and longer life expectancy should ensure an improved quality of life for our citizens, through better access and environment, physical and mental health, and the right infrastructure in place.    

Views are personal. The author is President, NATHEALTH and Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare