Prateek Tiwari, Director-Emerging Markets Group & Strategy, Medtronic India highlights the trends in medtech sector in India
India’s healthcare and medical device sector has witnessed significant evolution over the past decade. Technology has equipped us to revolutionise healthcare as we know it, improving patient outcomes and raising the bar for quality care. It has made possible novel inventions, especially amidst the myriad challenges that arose with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data analytics and robotics, combined with expanding internet access, promises to usher in a new dawn in the medical technology industry in India. While several exciting and novel interventions cannot entirely be foreseen, most of them can be expected to fall under four broad areas of significance.
Telehealth
There has been a steady growth in the demand for telehealth particularly over the past few years. By facilitating remote patient and clinician contact, care, and consultation, it has posed itself as a revolutionary way to ensure the administering of quality care even in the middle of a raging pandemic. The range of services under telehealth can be helpful in areas of stress management and behavioural health, extending as far as the larger spectrum of cardiology, diabetes, and oncology. Medtronic offers remote monitoring platforms that pair with some of its cardiac and diabetes technologies. This enables implanted devices like pacemakers to directly communicate with the doctor or clinic using a small monitor, reducing the number of times a patient must visit the clinic. Similarly, other devices like multi parameter monitors help keep track of all vital signs in critical patients, rendering trend data and using predictive AI to alert hospital staff about patients’ health parameters.
Especially in India, where patient-clinician ratios are highly disparate, telehealth can help bridge the gap, if leveraged to its fullest capacity. The Indian Government’s eSanjeevani OPD app is a good instance of its potential in helping reduce overburden in OPDs. Medtronic is also reaching out to hospitals by tele-calling daily for all therapies. Based on the demand, respective hospitals are catered to on a case-to-case basis.
Wearable technology
One important sub-area of development that has and will continue to play an important role in telehealth is wearable technology. Whether it be fitness smartwatches, or other wearable devices with built-in health analytics, wearable technology promises to play an enormous role in health risk management. By helping keep track of vitals, monitor progress, and in some cases, sending relevant emergency alerts, these innovative devices promise to greatly enhance and complement telehealth services. They can prevent strokes, manage symptoms, reduce hospitalizations, and improve survival. In the future, one can expect further sophistication in such devices.
AI and big data analytics
Data, artificial intelligence, and automation are the linchpin to greater efficiency, more value, and reducing surgical variability. The prevalence of AI in all technological innovations of our times points to its significance in the future too. Within medtech, AI has been instrumental in helping doctors conduct more accurate diagnosis, predict patient outcomes, and appropriately select modes of therapy. Besides enhancing patient care, it can also streamline, accelerate, and optimise clinical research operations and reduce costs. It will also play an important role in augmenting wearable technology with data, thereby enabling better remote patient monitoring.
Robotic-assisted surgery
Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is an advanced revolutionary way to conduct minimally invasive surgeries with remarkable accuracy and it scores over conventional open surgery, as it minimises blood loss, dramatically reduces the post-operative recovery time,1 and brings precision in executing the procedure. In India, approximately 70 per cent of surgeries are performed as open procedures. Those patients could experience fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, faster return to normal activities, and smaller scars if they have an opt for robot-assisted MIS procedure,1–3,‡,§ including those performed via RAS systems which offers additional clear benefits for surgeons.1–3,‡,§ Globally ~3 per cent of the current surgeries are performed through RAS platforms in India.*
As is evident, these broad trends that are likely to shape medical technology in India are fairly overlapping. Telehealth in itself encompasses and relies on a strong network of digital tools and wearable technology, as well as AI, to enhance patient experiences. Robotics makes use of AI to improve outcomes. Each of these areas of significance are likely to continue to be symbiotic, decisively leading India’s move towards a sophisticated, technologically driven and patient-centric healthcare system.
‡Compared to open surgery.
§MIS may not be suitable for every patient; consult your doctor to determine if MIS is an option for you.
References:
*Based on Medtronic report, FY20 market model: procedural volume data.
- Fitch K, Engel T, Bochner A. Cost differences between open and minimally invasive surgery. Managed Care. 2015 Sep;24(9):40–48.
- Tiwari MM, Reynoso JF, High R, Tsang AW, Oleynikov D. Safety, efficacy, and cost effectiveness of common laparoscopic procedures. Surg Endosc. 2011;25(4):1127–1135.
- Roumm AR, Pizzi L, Goldfarb NI, Cohn H. Minimally invasive: minimally reimbursed? An examination of six laparoscopic surgical procedures. Surg Innovation.2005;12(3):261–287.
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