Pandemic management through vaccine rollout, increased investments, digital health solutions will see maximum traction in next decade: Dr. Ashutosh Raghuvanshi

Dr. Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD and CEO, Fortis Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic  has become a catalyst of sorts, to re-imagine and rebuild the foundation of healthcare. Now is the time to create a sustainable roadmap to achieve universal health coverage for all citizens.

India is poised to be the ‘Innovation hub” in the next few years with the government joining hands with the private sector and a renewed focus on public health, hospital service delivery, patient care and diagnostics. Technology will drive many of the service delivery models for integrated and value-based care.

Three key areas will see maximum traction in the next decade– pandemic management through vaccine rollout, increased investments, digital health solutions to improve access and bring in shifts in healthcare delivery models.

A strong vaccine strategy with clinical protocols for patient safety and efficacy, a collaborative and systematic approach between public and private sectors will help us manage the pandemic and prevent new cases between 2021-2023. Increased resources are slated to be allocated to the training and skilling of medical workforce, recruitment of doctors and healthcare providers to address shortfall, research, creating PPP models and upgrading health centres and district hospitals in tier 2-3 locations across India.

India’s healthcare industry is also becoming more attractive for investors, so we are sure to see additional FDI in the coming years. With telemedicine and e-consults becoming a norm during 2020, in the next few years, there would also be an increased utilisation of digital solutions by hospitals, labs and nursing homes, improvement in access and affordability, right diagnosis and better outcomes. With the nationwide launch of National Digital Health Mission, e-health services and home care solutions will see greater traction in the coming years.