Sandeep Gulati, General Manager-South Asia, ResMed highlights that in order to serve a population of more than a billion people, it is important that solutions to problems with healthcare services be inclusive, multilingual, scalable, and interoperable. Out of hospital care could enhance the standard of treatment and the patient experience by allowing patients to receive medical attention in the convenience of their own homes
Digital health refers to the application of technology to the delivery of medical care. Health information technology (IT), health information management, wearable medical devices, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), personalised medicine, mobile health (mHealth), and telemedicine are just a few of the many digital health technologies and subfields that make up the digital healthcare.
Healthcare digitalisation in India has and continues to enhance physician practice, improve patient outcomes, and increase patient-physician communication. The Indian government’s “Digital Health Mission” is an integrated structure that connects doctors and patients digitally and gives them access to real-time health records, thereby promoting coordinated and efficient healthcare throughout the nation. The expansion of digital healthcare will result in preventive care and move the health sector even further up the value chain. Developing the digital healthcare in the country, with the progression of AI would result in the expansion of the med-tech industry and the advancement of the country’s digital healthcare infrastructure.
Employing telehealth to close the gap
Digital health technology plays a vital role in India’s healthcare ecosystem in enabling the delivery of value-based care. With the increased use of mobile devices, patients can now request online consultations and have their medications quickly delivered to their homes. Medical wearables have also increased patient awareness of their health and can aid in the prevention of lifestyle disorders, and can also increase accuracy, allow precise diagnosis, and facilitate remote treatment.
Adaptive intelligence solutions can help lower the barriers between hospitals and patients, enhancing access to care and improve overall patient satisfaction, especially in tier II and III cities in India. The utilisation of telehealth has expanded considerably, along with the identification and treatment of sleep disorders.
The transferability of data will reduce expenses, save up time, allow for monitoring, and enhance patient outcomes. Furthermore, by utilising the information system, research facilities and producers of medical equipment will be better able to address the nation’s ongoing healthcare issues and develop cutting-edge medications, equipment, and solutions.
Lowering the workload for hospitals
In order to serve a population of more than a billion people, it is important that solutions to problems with healthcare services be inclusive, multilingual, scalable, and interoperable. Out of hospital care could enhance the standard of treatment and the patient experience by allowing patients to receive medical attention in the convenience of their own homes.
The adoption of telemedicine, which is an excellent instrument for patient care today, has decreased the number of patients seeing doctors routinely. Real-time monitoring allows patients and doctors to monitor changes in blood glucose levels, cardiac rhythm alterations, and vital signs as they occur. Reduced hospitalisations, shorter hospital admissions if the patient is released with a remote monitoring device that can be utilised at home, and better preventative treatment of long-term conditions can all result from Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), which diminishes the burden on health facilities. Outpatient visits and readmissions to the hospital are significantly reduced as well.
Streamlining the pressure on doctors
Medical burnout is a common condition and processes can be streamlined by technology. Appointment scheduling, monitoring patient contacts, invoicing patients, and collecting payments are just a few examples of how tech automation can be used to expedite processes both before and after care. The ability to quickly access patient records, including medical history, test results, and pertinent information provided by other doctors, is crucial for providing high-quality patient care.
When clinicians have access to the appropriate data, they can make well-informed decisions much more quickly, cut down on wait times, and help deliver better healthcare at a lower cost, all of which help to improve patient care. Through data access, digital tools are giving healthcare professionals a more comprehensive picture of patient health while also allowing patients greater control over their own health.
Way forward
India’s transition to universal health coverage would be accelerated by the digital transformation of healthcare. Real opportunities to increase productivity and improve medical outcomes are presented by digital health. These technologies offer new opportunities for assisting prevention, early identification of life-threatening diseases, and management of chronic ailments outside of traditional health care settings. They can also enable patients to make better-informed decisions about their own health.
The nation’s healthcare infrastructure will be bolstered by an ecosystem of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, telehealth, electronic health records, the internet of things, and digital therapeutics to meet challenges like patient monitoring, ease of access, affordability, distribution network, complaints resolution, and the efficacy of medical care. The healthcare industry has come a long way in adopting technology and being a leading innovator and is projected to grow even more. India’s digital healthcare landscape is filled with great expectations and opportunities.
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