Ishiqa Multani, President, Sagar Group of Hospitals gives an insight into how the Indian healthcare system can become one of the most successful in the region and the future prospects
In 2022, the Indian healthcare industry has experienced various trends that have continued to contribute to its growth. The industry has been currently growing at an annual growth rate of 23 per cent, making it India’s largest service sector. The sector provides quality healthcare for India’s approximately 1.38 billion population. Analysing the trends that have contributed towards the Indian healthcare system becoming one of the most successful in the region can offer insights into how it will shape in 2023 and the future.
Meditourism, or medical tourism, is a trend whose prevalence has been increasing in the recent past. India has become one of the fast-emerging medical tourism hubs, with the highest number of medical visas issued in the last three years alone. With the increase in meditourism, the Indian healthcare sector is expected to grow and reach a size of $50 billion by 2025. Notably, the global medical tourism industry is estimated to be worth approximately $72 billion, which indicates that India is a leading meditourism destination. Particularly, India’s share in the medical tourism industry is expected to be around $10 billion by 2023 as more people around the globe continue to choose it as their preferred medical destination.
Telemedicine has also shifted how healthcare is administered in India by enhancing care accessibility. Currently, there has been a telemedicine boom which has made high-level health facilities accessible to people in remote and tribal areas of the country. During COVID-19, people found it unsafe and challenging to get in-person appointments for chronic diseases and other illnesses. Healthcare providers in India took that opportunity and invested in telehealth and telemedicine, whose adoption is expected to grow.
India’s healthcare sector is also moving fast in technology adoption, focusing more on artificial intelligence, big data analytics and machine learning. Notably, India was one of the fastest adopters of emerging healthcare technologies which has helped in process optimisation, reduced healthcare costs, and access to data. Further, healthcare providers in India have benefited from the technologies by gaining insights into health information and changing patients’ needs, enabling them to design patient-centred interventions.
In addition to big data analytics and artificial intelligence, the Indian healthcare sector has adopted robotics for process automation. Through robotic process automation, healthcare providers have started using robots to handle high-volume and repetitive tasks that need humans to perform. Some of these tasks include keeping records, performing calculations and generating reports. The Indian healthcare system is expected to increase its adoption of robotics to enhance care delivery.
One of the most prominent trends that have dominated the Indian healthcare system is the increased need for personalised healthcare for patients. Personalised healthcare has been seen as one of the ways the Indian healthcare system can transform care delivery as it enables disease prevention. The core purpose of the personalised approach is to offer patient-specific solutions to specific concerns associated with the patient. This approach also helps patients access personalised support along their medical journey, which enhances disease management. Notably, the increased adoption of personalised care by healthcare providers offers an opportunity for better patient care and safety outcomes.
Mental health has also become a priority for many healthcare providers in India. Although mental health issues were still prevalent pre-COVID, the pandemic accentuated the impact, given the circumstances. This increase has caught the Indian government’s attention, and for the 2022-23 budget the finance minister had announced steps that will be taken to help address the issue, including the launch of a national tele-mental health programme. The programme will provide access to mental health services for all, which is crucial in attaining a healthy and productive population.
To conclude, in the Indian healthcare system in 2023, we can expect healthcare providers and government to focus on telehealth, mental health, and rapid adoption of the latest technologies to increase productivity and achieve better patient outcomes. Further, healthcare providers are expected to find new ways of incorporating more remote testing and chronic disease management into the current virtual care modalities. This trend will enhance care access for underserved areas and reduce mortality rates, especially for rural communities in India.
