GE Healthcare, one of the leading players in the Indian healthcare market , is betting big on the home health segment. The company sees immense potential in India due to possible rise in chronic diseases where the company?s products can play the role of a catalyst in curing them.
?We are not attempting to replace the need for doctors or hospital through our products. Rather, we will try to give a sustainable home health solutions as prescribed by doctors or physicians,? said V Raja, president and chief executive officer (South Asia) of GE Healthcare.
Talking to FE here on Friday, he said, ?We have just introduced a few home health products in India on sleeping disorders and ventillation problems. Home health segment is in nascent stage here but hold immense potential for GE Healthcare as millions and millions of people are expected to witness chronic diseases such as congestive heart disease, diabetes, asthma, spinal cord injury, muscle disorders, obesity etc due to changing lifestyle, food habits and other aspects.
?Our home health products will come in handy for those who cannot afford to stay in hospitals for long durations due to high costs and for those who have logistics inconvenience, among other problems. Though, we cannot quantify the exact cost savings to a patient at this point of time, one can save the hospitalisation charges by accessing our products at low cost with high GE quality as prescribed by doctors/physicians,? he said. One can even save the associated costs involved in admitting a person in an hospital, he added.
According to Sandeep Chalke, general manager (Asia), respiratory issues are already known to be endemic among the urban dwellers; especially when it comes to a condition called sleep apnea. It is very common, as common as adult diabetes and affects more than 36 million Indians. It is a breathing disorder that can lead to significant consequences like high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, stroke. A person affected by sleep apnea may be unaware of the condition or notice its symptoms, where GE products can play a pivotal role.
?We have just made the beginning by selling a few products imported from Sweden. We are working with Intel to design and develop more such home health products, including patient monitoring devices, products which are critical in vital diseases in due course. We will promote these products in coordination with physicians and doctors, awarenes campaigns, seminars among other promotional activities,? Raja said.
?Even if we sell our products to 5 to 10% of the those 36-million affected Indian public, GE in India can generate huge revenue. With more home health products under pipeline GE hope to generate a few million dollars out of this segment alone,? Raja said, adding, ?we try to sell these products at aggressive prices.?
Raja said the overall contribution of the products made and sold in India, in collaboration with Wipro, GE Healthcare India?s turnover is expected to go up substantially to 25% from the current 10% in next three years. ?We continue to design and develop more products for Indian markets. Even Indian products are being exported to countries such as the US, Europe among other nations,? he said.
