As Indian hospitals become more specialised, they are leaving poor patients further behind; healthcare spends are moving up fast enough; the post-pandemic future--with or without the virus--will have to reimagine how healthcare is delivered for all, especially to those who cannot afford it, the executive director and Group COO of Narayana Health writes
Illustration: Sameer Pawar
Scene: Narayana Health 2021 Annual Strategy Session: Getting Back to Business.
“What if this pandemic never goes away?” I ask a computer screen dotted with pixels somewhat resembling managers and doctors from across our network of hospitals. No response. Nine months into this pandemic and our videoconferencing skills were abortive at best.
“What if the world never goes back to normal, and this is what our future looks like?” I could sense the mood in the room shift a little, but still no response. I check the audio settings and curse the UX choices of the developers behind our videoconferencing app.
“How will our business thrive in a world permanently scarred by Covid-19?” I ask as loud as is possible in a professional setting.
(This story appears in the 21 May, 2021 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)