About 60 per cent of elective surgeries delayed due to financial reasons: Navia Life Care report

A recent survey by Navia Life Care has revealed that around 60 per cent of elective surgeries are postponed due to financial reasons. Considering that some elective procedures are more time-sensitive than others, delays in surgical care could increase morbidity or mortality. In addition to a potential bearing on morbidity and mortality, continued deferral in elective surgeries could also worsen the quality of life and healthcare experience for patients.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Gaurav Gupta, Co-Founder, Navia Life Care, said, “The survey is very important to understand India’s healthcare spending. The deferral of elective surgeries could ultimately have a lasting impact on a patient’s quality of life. The healthcare sector must harness digital innovations and hatch strategic plans to improve the affordability of healthcare for millions of patients delaying their elective surgeries. This can improve the patient experience and outcomes.”

Elective surgeries are generally not life-threatening, but continued deferral can lead to severe complications over time. Several studies have shown that delays in surgical care for vision repair, knee replacement, or gallstone removal can depreciate the quality of life and intensify severity. With millions of patients delaying their elective procedures due to financial reasons, the healthcare sector must collectively devise a solution. In light of the financial woes, innovations such as instant medical loans and the BNPL (buy now, pay later) model have sprung up recently in the healthcare landscape.

With instant medical loans available to patients, they can receive quality care, whether emergency treatment or an elective procedure. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, several clinics have adopted digital medical loans, which connect patients to financial institutions for instant medical loans. As a result, patients can avail themselves of such instant loans for elective procedures, treatments, consultations, diagnostic tests and medicines without deferring care. Such healthcare innovations will enable the sector to strengthen its clinical operations, transform care delivery and improve patient experience and outcomes.