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OPINION
Bhavdeep Singh
is outgoing CEO of
Fortis Healthcare.providers are working very closely with the
Government to understand how we can
make this a success.
In addition to the above, advanced
medical technology, availability of modern
diagnostic and therapeutic equipment has
revolutionised the way healthcare is being
delivered in India today. The collaboration
of telecommunications and information
technology has given rise to ‘tele-medi-
cine’, which addresses the problem of lack
of manpower and accessibility to quality
healthcare. Advanced infrastructure and
modern technology have improved the
ability to manage emergency care and
organ transplant by creating a coordinated
network of traffic management, ambu-
lances, emergency healthcare workers and
'green corridors'. Technology has enabled
quick tracking of nearby hospitals, im-
proved doctors-patient engagement, trans-
parent communication and easy access to
health reports and records.
We can also generate substantial find-
ings around disease trends by analysing
electronic records of patients. Customised
hospital apps have led to easy specialistaccess, booking of appointments, reduced
costs, reduction in redundant or duplicate
tests, faster and more accurate diagnosis,
precision-based surgical interventions,
shorter hospital stays and improved
outcomes. Robotic surgeries have made it
possible to conduct complex surgeries that
were otherwise high-risk earlier.
Nevertheless, even as technology may
play an essential role in future, we will
always have a critical need for good doc-
tors, trained allied staff and caregivers,
especially in specialties such as oncology,
organ transplant, cardiac surgery, ortho-
paedics, neurology, paediatrics, robotic
surgery and mental health, where there
is a disproportionate shortage of clini-
cians. The challenges of providing a 360
degree healthcare service which translates
into a meaningful value proposition for
all stakeholders – providers, consumers
and governmental agencies – linger in the
absence of a comprehensive platform that
facilitates seamless distribution of data
among different constituents. We need
faster intelligent networks, smarter server
infrastructures and software solutions. It is
therefore critical for the healthcare indus-
try to match quality, effectiveness and op-
erational efficiency for maximum patient
care using latest technology integration.
As we reflect upon the future of the
healthcare, it is clear that good quality
healthcare services with smooth function-
ing and consolidation of different tech-
nology tools will lead to a transformed
healthcare system. The success in this
aspect will enable India to make its prom-
ised great leap forward to deliver best
possible healthcare delivery and achieve
our national objective of universal health
coverage.- The Ayushman
Bharat mission
has highlighted
the urgent need
for public-private
partnerships.
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