Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus
Dr. Shuchin, a pioneer in healthcare equity with over a decade of leadership experience & is committed to dissociating high-quality healthcare access from financial, social, or geographical status. He is globally recognized for innovative healthcare contributions & has been honored with awards like “Global Social Entrepreneur of the Year” at the World Economic Forum. In an interaction with Thirumuthan (Correspondent, India Pharma Outlook), Shuchin divulged the pathway of modernized healthcare and how it is being delivered to underserved communities.
From your perspective, what is the current scenario of the hospital sector in India, and how is it evolving to meet future trends?
Due to several causes, including changing demographics, expanding healthcare awareness, medical technology developments, and rising healthcare demand, the hospital industry in India was undergoing substantial expansion and transition.
To satisfy the rising demand for healthcare services, several Indian hospitals have been updating and extending their infrastructure. Modern medical technology and equipment are used in the construction of super-specialty hospitals, multi-specialty hospitals, and specialty clinics.
In the hospital industry, the importance of accreditation and quality requirements has grown. To guarantee adherence to quality standards and enhance patient safety, hospitals are requesting accreditation from groups such as the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) more frequently.
In Indian hospitals, the use of digital technology has been growing, improving data management, operational effectiveness, and patient care. The use of mobile health apps, telemedicine, electronic health records (EHRs), and remote monitoring is growing.
How does personalized telemedicine intersect with IoMT to improve access and quality of healthcare in underserved communities?
Remote diagnostic consultations can be facilitated by IoMT devices that are coupled with tailored telemedicine systems. Without requiring patients to visit medical facilities, healthcare experts can evaluate patients' health problems, provide precise diagnoses, and suggest suitable treatment regimens using data gathered from linked devices. This is especially helpful for underprivileged areas where there may be limited access to professional medical knowledge.
Customized treatment regimens can be created by personalized telemedicine systems by analyzing data from IoMT devices, considering each patient's unique health profile and demands. By providing interventions that are specifically suited to each patient's needs, preferences, and medical history, this personalized approach to healthcare improves patient satisfaction and treatment efficacy. Telemedicine in conjunction with IoMT offers a way to close the gap and provide more specialized care in underprivileged regions where access to individualized healthcare services may be limited.
Personalized telemedicine combined with IoMT eases the strain on underprivileged communities' healthcare infrastructure and lowers healthcare expenses by facilitating remote consultations, monitoring, and testing. By being able to get medical care from home, patients can reduce the need for expensive hospital visits and travel fees. Furthermore, telemedicine and IoMT save money over time for patients and healthcare systems by proactively managing chronic diseases and reducing disease consequences.
What are the key challenges in implementing IoMT solutions for personalized telemedicine in underserved areas, and how can they be addressed?
For IoMT solutions to be effective, underserved areas frequently need dependable power supplies and strong internet access. Investments in infrastructure development, such as creating alternative power sources like solar energy and increasing broadband access, are necessary to address this dilemma. To lessen connectivity problems, offline data storage options and low-bandwidth telemedicine technologies can be used.
Underserved areas often have diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, posing challenges in delivering personalized telemedicine services tailored to individual preferences and needs. IoMT solutions must be designed to accommodate cultural diversity and support multilingual interfaces. Localization efforts, including the translation of telemedicine platforms and educational materials into local languages, can help overcome language barriers and enhance accessibility.
It can be difficult to provide individualized telemedicine services that cater to each patient's tastes and needs in underserved areas because of the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds found there. Multilingual interfaces and cultural diversity must be supported in the design of IoMT solutions. Localization initiatives can aid in bridging language gaps and improving accessibility. Examples of these initiatives include translating instructional materials and telemedicine systems into local tongues.
Because telemedicine platforms and IoMT devices might be expensive, underprivileged populations with little money cannot afford them. Governments, nonprofits, and healthcare providers can investigate funding options, subsidies, and creative finance models to tackle this difficulty and lower the cost, and increase the accessibility of IoMT solutions. Working together with partners in the private sector can also aid in lowering the cost of technology deployment and upkeep.
How is medical technology improving healthcare for underserved communities, and what impact is it having on patient outcomes?
Healthcare professionals can easily share patient data thanks to electronic health records (EHRs) and health information systems, which promote continuity of care and lower medical errors. Electronic health records facilitate better coordination between primary care physicians, specialists, and allied health workers, resulting in more complete and integrated healthcare services in underprivileged communities with limited access to healthcare facilities. Better treatment adherence, increased diagnosis accuracy, and a decrease in healthcare inequities are the outcomes of this.
Applications for mobile health (mHealth) use wearable technology and cell phones to reach underprivileged communities with health-related information and services. These apps provide remote symptom monitoring, tracking medication adherence, health education, and assistance in managing diseases. mHealth apps help patients take charge of their health and better self-manage chronic illnesses by giving them the tools they need to access healthcare resources and control their health.
How can healthcare providers effectively balance the delivery of high-quality care with the imperative to keep costs low in underserved communities?
Healthcare providers can provide more patient-centered and cost-effective care by interacting with local communities and including patients in decision-making processes. This can assist clinicians in better understanding community needs, preferences, and cultural nuances. Over time, better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs can also result from empowering people to actively manage their healthcare through shared decision-making, health literacy campaigns, and self-care practices.
To provide high-quality care at a reasonable cost, healthcare providers in underprivileged communities must make the most use of their limited resources, which include staff, buildings, and medical supplies. To increase productivity and cut down on waste, this may entail optimizing processes, cutting down on administrative burdens, standardizing clinical procedures, and utilizing technology solutions like telemedicine and electronic health records (EHRs). Reducing healthcare expenditures in underprivileged regions and preventing disease progression can be achieved by bolstering primary care services and emphasizing the efficient management of chronic illnesses. It is possible to improve access to primary care services while maximizing healthcare resources and lowering needless hospitalizations by putting team-based care models into practice, shifting tasks, and utilizing telemedicine for remote consultations and follow-ups.
