2020 has changed the healthcare landscape across the world: Outlook for the forthcoming decade

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the healthcare industry works. Ms Vandana Pakle, MD, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital shares her views on this.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Updated: January 1, 2021 1:52 pm

In the post-pandemic era, the healthcare industry shall emerge stronger with innumerable insights and prudent takeaways of overcoming the global emergencies.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the definition of the term ‘normal’ has taken on a whole new meaning. What used to be the exception earlier is now the norm in many aspects of life. People across the world have learned fast to live their everyday lives by making drastic changes in their habits and lifestyle. This is especially true in the field of healthcare. With the highly infectious viral disease quickly morphing into a global pandemic during the early days of this year, many patients were left in the lurch as visiting a hospital or clinic even for routine consultation became risky. It was a difficult period for may patients of underlying conditions and the elderly because they need regular check-ups and consultations. Also Read - 5 ways to make the most of your online therapy amidst the COVID-19 lockdown

Healthcare professionals were also at a loss as to how to deal with the situations. But soon, thanks to modern technology, it became possible for patients to connect with doctors through teleconsultation and video consultation. This has changed the way the healthcare industry works and, after the initial hesitation, most patients are happy with the solution. Also Read - Health Tech: Here's how 5G technology is going to transform India's healthcare

Ms Vandana Pakle, Managing Director, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, shares her views on the future of healthcare in a post-pandemic era and what the outlook is like for the forthcoming decade Also Read - World Health Day: Why specialised healthcare programmes in India are on the rise?

Adapting to the new normal

According to Ms. Vandana Pakle, Managing Director – Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, “Recognizing the challenge of adapting to the ‘new normal’, the healthcare industry has risen to the pandemic with both public and private hospitals, nursing homes and doctors boldly confronting a volatile virus and evolving treatment guidelines.” In the post-pandemic era, the healthcare industry shall emerge stronger with innumerable insights and prudent takeaways of overcoming the global emergencies.

Resolving preventable causes of death

Ms Pakle further adds that “the fast-tracking of medicine approvals (new and repurposed for COVID-19) and rapid progress in the roll out of vaccines, compressing the approval timeline to months from decades have metamorphosed the entire ecosystem of the healthcare industry. We are certain to resolve preventable causes of death with development of vaccines for global killers such as dengue, malaria and different types of cancers in a similar fast-track ecosystem.”

Acceptance of digital technologies in healthcare

“The forthcoming decade will witness a rapid change in the perception and acceptance of digital technologies in healthcare. The future may see us reaching out to faraway villages that have traditionally suffered the lack of access to clinical expertise. With the help of information and communication technologies such as the digital stethoscope, we might be able to listen to their heart and lungs like a physical examination and subsequently prescribe relevant treatment,” says Ms Pakle.

More stress on disaster forecasting

What is paramount, however, is that the healthcare industry will no longer like to adhere to guesswork and invest abundantly in a forecasting system to predict the likelihood of future disasters so as to ensure preparedness, according to Ms Pakle. “Technological advancement in Artificial Intelligence (AI) based disaster forecasting mechanisms will not only help us save and protect colossal numbers of human lives but prepare us as a society to effectively deal with a global emergency,” she says.

Published : January 1, 2021 10:25 am | Updated:January 1, 2021 1:52 pm

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