The Latest Health Care ICT Technology Trends in the Indian Context

                                                                   Source: Cognizant

The Indian Healthcare industry is on the verge of major transformation. The covid-19 pandemic showed us the inadequacies and pitfalls in our health system. Information Technology can fill the gaps in our existing medical care and infrastructure. As per the 2021’s Future of Healthcare Report by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) about eighty percent of the Healthcare systems are aiming to increase their investment in digital healthcare tools in the coming five years.

Due to the need for personalized medicine, affordable healthcare, and crippling effects of covid, more Health Care Organizations are adapting technological trends, which will result in patient outcomes, reduced medical costs, and enhanced care efficiency.

Here are some technological interventions that can alter the healthcare model.

Tele Medicine

Satellite communication was enabled by the Indian space research organization (ISRO). INSAT satellites were charged with district hospitals and specialty hospitals in big cities while special hardware was installed in OP and IP. It didn't become prolific in the Indian context. Now mobile phones and personal computers applications became popular eg: skype. AIIMS is the first government hospital in India to become completely digitalized with online registration and the generation of Universal Health Identification Numbers (UHID), Electronic Medical Records (EMR) can be accessed by on-call doctors, specialists, nurses, and labs securely and confidentially. 

An integrated Hospital Information System that carries real-time updates about each patient is also being used frequently. India's first PACS of picture archiving and communication system that allows digital sharing of Medical and radio images like MRI, CT scan, X-rays, etc is also being adopted. India's first Nursing Informatics Specialists (NIS), Public Display System (PDM) are working properly. National Informatics Center (NIC) developed an easy-to-use system that anyone can use called e-hospital operational in approximately 50 Hospitals. That means both the server and the databases are within the hospital. People can access the service at the hospital counter. 

E Sanjeevani was developed by Mohali Centre for the development of advanced computing (CDAC). It has a simple graphical user interface that can be used by anyone.

m Swasthya health and Wellness app can be used through mobile health care. Telemedicine can be useful for injured immunocompromised patients located in a remote area. They can reach out to doctors through a secure video connection. It is going to be a game changer in the Healthcare industry by bringing Health Care directly to the patient's doorstep.

Digital Therapeutics

To deliver medical care and evidence-based therapeutic intervention directly to the patient, Many Health Care providers are adopting digital therapeutics driven by high-quality software programs. This allows how to make the right solution for patient problems. Digital data can be generated continuously and tracked so it helps to overcome issues of non-adherence in chronic diseases and improve treatment outcomes.

Remote Patient Monitoring

The concept of remote patient monitoring gained popularity during the covid pandemic when movement restriction and social distancing norms prevailed. Using an array of medical devices such as implantable, blood pressure cuffs, and sensors, doctors can access real-time patient data for better treatment. It is commonly used for first-discharge patients as it enables doctors to constantly monitor patients who act on vital data. This reduces frequent visits of patients to doctors and expedites the recovery process. 

Navia was part of the launch of first of its kind smart device launched in India to track the usage pattern of (MDI) metered dose inhalers. it is a reusable device with built-in sensors to track daily usage and consumption pattern. The low-cost cardiac surgeries provided by Narayana health are an example of such kind.

Smart Wearables and Devices

Wearable Technology allows the patient in maintaining their health. For patients whose wearables can track heart rate to the reproductive cycle, such data mined from the wearable is more systematic and accurate in recording medical details and vitals of the patients. Smart devices are not limited to fitness bands and smartwatches but smart inhalers, smart hearing aids, sleep bands, bio patches, etc.

Conclusion- Digital Prescriptions & Digital Health Records

e-Rx is a digital version of a paper prescription created by healthcare practitioners using digital means/software. Also, digital Prescriptions help in creating digital health records of patients which in turn improves patient outcomes as this reduces the chances of human error in interpreting wrong medicines. e-Rx proves to be beneficial for patients as well as doctors.  The use of electronic prescriptions can reduce paperwork and longevity in storage. 

Author: Anagha S