The time has come for India to build a robust health care system with heavy infusion of technologies to ensure equitable access to all citizens
The government has launched a series of initiatives, including Ayushman Bharat, one of the biggest moves in India’s journey towards universal health care coverage. Here are a few targeted accelerators that can help us get there faster:
Bridge the gap with tech
Health care in India is characterised by limited resources servicing large needs. Digital solutions can address these gaps as they are asset-light and can easily be scaled up. They can overcome fundamental barriers to access, cost and quality, and help drive better clinical outcomes and customer experience. To meet the aspirations of Ayushman Bharat, strengthening our primary health care (PHC) infrastructure, skilling their workforce and digitally connecting them to tertiary centres will be critical. We should see the emergence of a Digital PHC to provide comprehensive care, essential drugs for free and diagnostic services. Our partnership with Tricog for cloud-connected ECG devices in under-served locations is helping detect heart complications at scale. Similarly, CritiNext—an eICU solution by Fortis in partnership with GE Healthcare—manages over 150 ICU beds, treating over 500 critical patients every month.
Leverage private sector
Reasonable health insurance coverage will trigger a steep rise in demand for tertiary infrastructure. As the largest and oldest health care public-private partnership (PPP) player in the country, we believe this can drive positive health outcomes at scale—PPPs in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal are testimony to that. The government must innovate similar PPP-based models to expand into maternal and infant care, oncology and cardiology.
In health care, limited resources service large needs. Digital solutions can address these gaps
(This story appears in the 28 September, 2018 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)