Doctors manage 200 mn appointments online in last 15 years: Practo Ray

Doctors form the backbone of the healthcare ecosystem, and as we commemorate Doctor’s Day, Practo, a leading healthcare technology company, reveals a significant trend. In the last 15 years, doctors have managed 200 million appointments online. This shows a steady move towards digital technology in healthcare.

Research by the American Medical Association (AMA) supports this shift – it found that 9 in 10 physicians see benefits in digital health tools. Practo Ray, a clinic management software, reported that in 2009, Indian doctors managed about 638k appointments digitally. This number surged to over 20 million, marking a 228 per cent increase since 2013.

Looking at city-wise trends revealed, that doctors in Bangalore and Delhi were the earliest adopters of digital appointment management, with a growth of 307 per cent and 339 per cent, respectively. This is followed by doctors from Mumbai (182 per cent), Hyderabad (164 per cent), Pune (362 per cent) and Chennai (68 per cent). [2013 vs 2023]

Among specialties, dentists were initially the most digital-friendly, with 61 per cent of dentists contributing to digital appointments in 2013 but this lead has narrowed. In 2023, dentists made up 33 per cent of digital appointments, with doctors from other specialties like dermatology (12 per cent) and internal medicine (6 per cent) catching up.

In the last 10 years, doctors from specialties of gynaecology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, physiotherapy, and psychiatry have seen the highest growth in digital appointment management.

Dr Alexander Kuruvilla, Chief Health Strategy Officer, Practo commented “In a day,  doctors have to manage multiple things, right from meeting patients, reviewing reports, planning their OPDs and scheduling their day. Efficient management of their practice is critical to ensure the best patient care. In the last decade, digital technology has streamlined this for doctors and we’re incredibly proud to see the significant impact it had on doctors across India. 200mn appointments in 15 years reflect every physician’s commitment to continue to learn and adapt to meet the changing needs of patients and the sheer passion they bring to their profession.”

Practo Ray, since its inception in 2008 has been committed to adapting to the evolving needs of healthcare providers to manage their practice efficiently enabling them to serve patients better. Today, doctors harness technology to streamline practices, offer more accessible care, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. This digital revolution is paving the way for a more efficient, accessible, and patient-centered healthcare system.