The technology convergence in healthcare is playing an important role in transforming accessibility and overcoming challenges of infrastructure and the dearth of manpower. With the help of mobile technology and digitization of healthcare services, the demand-supply gap of healthcare practitioners is bridging. In the present scenario, the consumers are receptive and their expectations have risen. They spend the majority of their time surfing the internet and using smartphones and they have the same expectations across industries.
From health devices and healthcare products to finding an online doctor, True North ITG Healthcare IT and other healthcare startups are bridging the gap between service providers and end-users through applications, social networks and state-of-the-art-technologies. The healthcare startups are improving the delivery of healthcare services and the economic conditions of India as a whole. They have been successful in making healthcare services accessible and cost-effective to the masses through the innovative use of technology. Over the last few years, there has been an incredible rise in the number of healthcare startups like Practo, DocPrime, HealthKart and LiveHealth that are emerging into different niches of the online healthcare services.
When looking for experienced doctors, booking appointments online can be done right with the help of a mobile application which saves time and energy. Online doctor consultation by DocPrime allows patients to receive the best care in no time. Next, delve into the factors as to how technology is enabling the growth of healthcare startups in India.
1. Use of the Internet: According to statistics, 49% of the Indian population use the internet to gather information on health and use it as the first port of call before visiting a doctor. With the passing of time, the majority of people use the internet for their health queries. They not only seek a second opinion but are also garnering knowledge about treatments and medications. It is definitely not possible to sidestep the doctor, but Internet services have allowed patients to make decisions.
2. Impact of Social Media: The healthcare sector has seen a massive increase in the integration of social media. From tweets to Facebook posts, social media has allowed organizations to build connections, share new discoveries and promote reliability. Most industries care about the likes and shares they have obtained, whereas healthcare is mainly focused on the impact, as it is about trust and earning credibility.
Doctors and hospital facilities are relying on social media to create contact with patients, answer their queries and launch public awareness campaigns. Some startups even offer the facility of online chats with doctors and remind people to get vaccines and tests. Through social media, patients can analyze the doctor before meeting them in person.
3. Upgraded Patient Care and Efficiency: The use of technology has made patient care safer in various applications. More nurses and physicians are using hand-held computers to record patients’ data and then share it in their medical history. They are now able to combine lab results, data of vital signs, and medical orders into a common database. This has altogether transformed the level of a patient’s care and efficiency. As more clinics are using electronic health records, patients can now easily access their own information. With the availability of the patient’s history, scientists can easily study the trends and cause of any disease.
Additionally, technology has allowed for better patient protection by providing continuous, hospital-wide monitoring and automatic alerts. This reduces the risks of elopement, wandering, and abduction, and gives caregivers and families peace of mind.
4. Medicine E-commerce: The growth of e-commerce is affecting the healthcare sector rapidly. It has been estimated that the healthcare sector is ready to spend around $32 billion on e-commerce and web services every year. Medicine e-commerce is likely to grow as more startups are entering the ecosystem with different business models. These firms look to take advantage of the inefficient distribution system which leads to a scarcity of medicines and the issue of fake drugs. These dilemmas are currently harming the existing pharmacy industry. Once the guidelines for online sales get fixed, researchers expect the industry to boom.
5. Telemedicine: The medical infrastructure is quite intensive in India, though the majority of the population living in India is struggling due to limited access to facilities. But over the last decade, India has witnessed a disruption in healthcare through technology. Systems such as video conferencing are reasonably priced for people residing in rural locations. Online consultation through mobile using video, audio channels and images help patients who are deprived of medical aid.
The telemedicine sector has witnessed a growth at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 20%; it holds the potential to cross $32 million by 2020 from the current level of over $15 million.
6. Better Treatment: With the arrival of new machines, medicines and new treatments coming up, technology has revolutionized the healthcare sector. It’s not only the medical practices that have been helping patients; the improved methods of research have also made a lot of difference.
7. Advantages of mHealth: Today, out of 80% of doctors, nearly 25% of them use mHealth to provide patient care. With the use of mobile technology, health apps and services by providers are more often being utlized. 93% of doctors believe that mobile health apps can improve a patient’s health. Mobile applications can help patients manage their own health and get useful information whenever required. Also, through mobile applications, doctors can easily communicate with patients if they are not using their mobile.
With mobile apps, it is now easier for patients to book an appointment with a doctor.
8. Improving Speed and Accuracy: The digital health startups, especially in sensor and wearable technology, have improved the accuracy of the data that leads to the correct diagnosis in less time.
