By Runam Mehta
The Indian healthcare system is evolving rapidly and our demographic diversity presents an enviable opportunity for us to become a hub for the healthcare industry in the world. The estimated worth of the Indian diagnostic sector is about $10 billion (2021 figures) and a CAGR of 14% at present. Although diagnostic services contribute to about <5% of the overall healthcare industry, their critical nature can be accessed from the fact that the remaining 95% of expenditures are based on the results obtained.
It was deduced from a recent study that there is 1 diagnostic lab per 10,000 people by the most optimistic estimate in rural and sem-urban areas. 74% of existing labs are primarily concentrated in urban areas and hospitals, leaving vast swathes of rural India uncovered. Leaving the majority of the Indian population hanging by the thread when it comes to accessibility to diagnostics. With the launch of NDHM, the government is working towards improving this scenario; however, the need for the hour is smart solutions that can be a potential game-changer.
Current challenges faced by the diagnostic industry
Rapidly changing technologies, fast-developing government regulations, and financial instability together establish a unique environment for better patient outcomes are some opportunities put forward by the continuous evolution of the industry. But there continues to be a massive gap between availability and access to diagnostics due to traditional practices being followed when it comes to testing.
Exacerbating the conditions of patients in rural or far-flung remote areas who have limited access to traditional diagnostics services is the fact that these patients need to wait for at least a day to know the results after sample collection. Although many startups are doing a commendable job to transform the healthcare services in many metro cities, Tier-II, Tier-III cities & rural India still requires more penetration.
The Smart solution: Game changer in the healthcare industry
The recent pandemic also pointed out the shortcoming of traditional diagnostic testing such as mislabelling patients’ names, delayed results or misinterpreted results, etc. The healthcare world now is inclining towards using advanced technology to build agile, mobile, affordable, and accurate smart diagnostics solutions. Healthcare and technology are like long-lost best friends who have finally united.
The rapidly increasing access to the internet has reached rural and remote areas alongside the home-grown MedTech start-ups in the domain of diagnostic devices creating a new and growing trend of digitally enabled preventive screenings. Even Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities have shown a rapid demand for asset-light diagnostic solutions which are portable, affordable, and easy to use for even personnel with little medical knowledge.
As a result of this, Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices that integrate AI, data analytics, and other smart features to deliver faster and more precise diagnostic results are being accepted at a wider scale. Better accessibility to these devices also indicate acceptability to preventive screening. POC devices can be game-changers for early diagnosing the biggest causes of fatalities like-chronic ailments such as diabetes, heart diseases, and cancers. One of the important things to note here is that the smart solutions aim to serve as the first line of diagnostic services, especially in non-urban areas where easy and convenient access is missing.
Conclusion
As a capacity enhancer, digital diagnostics solutions bring the entire country under coverage for first-level screenings. In most cases, these preventive and routine screenings prove to be adequate in ensuring health and wellness among general people, and identification of diseases or their symptoms. If any symptoms or complications are observed in the early-stage screenings then the patients can be referred to hospitals and advanced laboratories for intensive and invasive check-ups. Apart from boosting coverage, this also makes preventive screenings more affordable for the masses as they don’t have to go to cities or hospitals to get them tested under normal conditions.
(The author is CEO, HealthCube. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
