“E-Health: The Rise of Virtual Care in India”

Over the past few years, the healthcare sector has undergone a substantial shift. The development of virtual care is one of the most important changes. E-health and telemedicine, often known as virtual care, have grown significantly in India. The practice of offering medical services when patients and healthcare professionals are not near one another but instead communicate with each other through electronic channels is known as e-health.

As per WHO, E-health is the cost-effective and secure use of information and communications technologies in support of health and health-related fields, including healthcare services, health surveillance, health literature, and health education, knowledge, and research.

As the accessibility of the internet rises, the concept of remote healthcare services has gained substantial popularity; this transformative approach helps provide remote medical services, improved access, convenience, and efficiency for patients worldwide. Summarily, Virtual care has become an integral part of the healthcare prospect. The e-health services market in India is expected to reach USD 10.6 billion by 2025- below are some projections by Statista (1) that show its incessant growth.

● Revenue in the eHealth segment is projected to reach US$2,084.00m in 2023.

● Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 14.03%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$3,523.00m by 2027.

● User penetration will be 14.04% in 2023 and is expected to hit 19.96% by 2027.

● The average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to amount to US$10.46.

Evolution of Virtual Care

India is a country with a vast population and diverse geography. We face numerous challenges in providing quality healthcare to all our citizens. Earlier patients had to schedule appointments, wait in long queues, and spend hours in crowded waiting rooms. This caused inconvenience and led to significant delays in receiving care. Keeping this matter in light, the burden on healthcare infrastructure has made it imperative to seek alternative approaches, and e-health has until now been promising in bridging this gap by leveraging technology to connect patients and healthcare providers remotely. This has not only saved patients’ time but improved their overall healthcare experience.

This boom is being supported and triggered by various factors- the proliferation of smartphones, high-speed internet connectivity, and other digital platforms. These have laid the foundation for the growth of virtual care in India, encompassing various aspects such as Electronic Health Records, Telemedicine (remote consultations), Health Information Exchange, Health apps, and online health resources.

Positive Consequences

It offers numerous benefits to broadly the overall healthcare system, not only to patients and healthcare providers. It helps to improve access to healthcare services, especially for citizens residing in remote areas. It is such a revolution that now patients can consult specialists in urban centers without needing long-distance travel. Also, telemedicine minimizes the risk of infection transmission, as patients can receive medical advice and prescriptions from the comfort of their homes.

Virtual care also plays a significant role in reducing healthcare costs by minimizing hospital readmissions, emergency room visits, and unnecessary appointments. Patients can avoid transportation expenses and take advantage of more affordable virtual consultations.

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual care. Virtual care has become an essential tool for providing healthcare services due to the requirement for social distancing and reducing in-person contact. Governments, healthcare institutions, and insurance companies have all taken action to promote the wider use of virtual care because they have seen its advantages.

Challenges and Limitations

E-health's expansion in India faces a few obstacles despite its potential. Internet connectivity is still a major problem, especially in rural and distant places where there is little access to reliable internet connections. Although efforts are being made to increase internet infrastructure, more funding and legislative assistance are needed. Furthermore, ensuring data privacy and security is crucial to building trust among patients and healthcare providers. The development of reliable data protection systems and adherence to strict privacy laws are crucial for the long-term development of e-health. The range of virtual care remains limited by some medical disorders that still demand appointments in person, diagnoses, or treatments. In a virtual setting, it might be difficult to build and maintain strong doctor-patient interactions.

Future Prospect

In India, e-health has an enviable future. Recognizing its potential, the government has taken efforts to encourage its use. The National Telemedicine Network (NTN), established to provide Telemedicine Services to remote areas by modernizing existing public healthcare facilities (MC, DH, SDH, PHC, and CHC) in states, is one of many initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public healthcare system through the use of Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) (2). Another Endeavor is the National Digital Health Mission, which intends to create a digital health ecosystem that would allow people to conveniently access their medical information and obtain healthcare services.

The integration of e-health with wearable technology, remote monitoring options, and AI-powered analytics holds immense potential for early detection and preventative healthcare. By leveraging these advancements; personalized treatment plans, automated diagnostics, and predictive analytics can further augment the realm of virtual care. However, to achieve true inclusivity, it is imperative to address the digital divide and provide comprehensive training to healthcare professionals in virtual care practices.

Conclusion

The evolution of e-health services will play a pivotal role in assisting India in attaining Universal Health Coverage. The COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed the widespread adoption of virtual care, leading to its remarkable transformation. Virtual care not only saves patients valuable time but also enhances their overall healthcare experience. Nonetheless, challenges remain, particularly in terms of educating the Indian population, especially the elderly, about utilizing such services. To realize the vision of Universal Health Coverage, it is essential to strengthen healthcare services through the implementation of telemedicine and virtual healthcare, necessitating improved cooperation among all stakeholders and concerted policy action.

References

1) https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/digital-health/ehealth/india

2) e-Health & Telemedicine | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | GOI (mohfw.gov.in)

3) https://www.alpine-region.eu/sites/default/files/uploads/publication/2350/cover/cover_ehealth.png