Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : January 19, 2023 11:52 AM IST
Technology To Fuel Healthcare Facilities In India And Bridge The Demand-Supply Gap
The worldwide population is expected to exceed 8.5 billion by 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050. Besides, the rising ageing population is driving demand for healthcare services which, in turn, is leading to a shortage of healthcare professionals. At present, the healthcare sector in India and worldwide is undergoing enormous changes. We spoke to Mr. Anurag Dhingra, Co-founder, of Medisage to understand the gap in the healthcare facilities available in India and how the demand-gap supply can be amplified, here's what he has to say.
In a recent report, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that healthcare sectors in European countries are experiencing a widespread workforce shortage. Staff shortfall, insufficient recruitment and retention, and limited access to professional development opportunities are wreaking havoc on the systems. During the initial days of the pandemic, the death toll among frontline workers left a serious impact with a scarcity of nurses and paramedics. Things grew more complicated because of a lack of data and analytical skills, poor management and strategic planning, and low investment in worker upskilling. If these issues are not handled properly in the future, they can cause poor health outcomes, delayed treatment, and even uncalled-for deaths.
In the post-pandemic world, new diseases are emerging and forcing people to figure out how to handle them. For instance, the number of young people experiencing cardiac arrests has increased over the past few years. Additionally, the number of doctor visits by people over 45 has gone up vastly over the past decade.
The demand-supply gap in healthcare persists because the government's infrastructure-building initiatives have not been adequate. The reasons include demand instability, cost recovery, and a lack of qualified human resources. But the larger issue is to recruit, retain and inspire health workers to enhance the efficiency of healthcare systems. The country's healthcare staff retention gets hampered because of several factors, including insufficient wages, unsafe working conditions, and a lack of incentives, among others.
The healthcare industry is one of the most important sectors in the country in terms of both employment generation and revenue. It has grown at a CAGR of 22% since 2016, employing more than 4.5 million people. The sector has the capacity to create nearly 500,000 new jobs every year. In contrast, doctors represent a diminishing share of that workforce.
The major concern is the lack of skilled physicians, nurses, and paramedics. This shortage was felt more acutely during the 2020 pandemic. Small towns have low demand and poor paying capacity, pushing the burden onto cities. The healthcare sector experiences a high turnover rate where 40% 50% of the workforce leaves their jobs every year. There is a distinct need to provide more flexibility and it is tech-enabled platforms that offer the best solutions to these challenges. The time to act is now.
India's healthcare market is likely to touch $372 billion by end-2022, thanks to rising income, improved health awareness, lifestyle diseases, and more access to insurance. The urgency now is to increase the number of nurses in the health sector and employ trained staff. At present, the skill mix is doctor-centric, with very few nurses. Efforts should be made to boost the supply and retention of nurses. Shifting of tasks and its impact on patient care and well-being should be brought more into focus. To compensate for the lack of human resources in public sector units, especially at the primary level, hiring processes should be streamlined by employing workers on contractual or flexible engagement terms.
Covid-19 highlighted how emerging technologies can be used more effectively to improve care delivery, facilitate speedy and effective communications and improve access to treatment through e-health and m-health interventions. Investments in technology and workforce training are important in this perspective. Complete overhaul of data on healthcare workers with live registrations, including regular updates is now of the utmost importance. This will help in making quick decisions and planning for the future of the workforce. It will also ensure that the quality of registered professionals remains of a high standard.
