Indian Healthcare going thru a paradigm shift
Indian Healthcare is going thru a paradigm shift right now. It is moving from fragmanted to consolidated. Its moving from Transaction based Healthcare model to a Healthcare contract.
Large consolidated hospital chains are emerging in the private sector. Clinic networks, Lab networks and Pharmacy chains are also emerging on the scene. Govt is also catching up with the modernisation of its hospitals and PPP. Health Insurance is begining to follow patients even after they leave the clinic and some systems are emerging to manage their health and disease in the society as well. However all this is happening on the brick&mortar side of the healthcare. What about technology, people and process?
TECHNOLOGY:
Is technology catching up at the same pace as brick&mortar? Are these networks/chains having the required technology infrastructure in terms of software, hardware and IT networks? Is the budget being allocated for the technology infrastructure? For a good IT setup, Indian hospitals have to get into a habbit of allocating 10% of their budget to IT.
There is a need to develop a Healthcare-IT platform specifically for India. A platform that will include HIS+EMR+ERP and will be hosted, so that every clinician, administrator or manager can use it over the web. Software as a service [SaaS] model can become a reality now in India because internet bandwidth is becoming available everywhere through fixed lines, mobiles and DTH. The SaaS moel is economically viable because it converts the Capex into Opex. Also there is no entry or exit barrier.
Current HIS/EMR are force fit to the unique requirements of the Indian Healthcare. Either they are imported and dont include the special needs of Indian business. Or they are home grown and dont recognize the global aspirations of Indian hospitals/clinics.
Public Health informatics is still a far cry!
PEOPLE:
Is there trained manpower available to run this show? we need people trained and experienced in Healthcare + IT + Management skills. Atleast 30% of the people should have all the 3 skills in the same brain and the rest can start from one descipline and acquire the other 2 in time.
I think the real change will happen when our Medical colleges restructure their courses to include management and IT as an integral part of the education curriculum. Some Healthcare Management institutes have taken the first step towards including some part of IT in the curriculum, but there is a long way to go before the model matures.
We need to have short term, medium term and longterm approach to the people issue. Do we have anyone thinking in this direction!
PROCESS:
Awareness about NABH, JCAHO and ISO standards is emerging in large hospitals. More because they want to look attractive to the MNC Health insurance, so that medical tourism can be routed this way. However the culture of Quality is yet to percolate down into the psyche of the Indian Healthcare. This will take time to happen and will require a significant push from central bodies like QCI.
The need of the hour is to define key performance indicators [KPI] for clinical, admin and management aspects of healthcare. Some standard mechanism has to emerge for KPI measurements, analysis, publication and debate. Some healthcare body has to take the lead for KPI in Indian healthcare. Unfortunately very few even understand the concept of Healthcare KPI.
During my recent lecture I asked the Healthcare management students if they are measuring their processes, and most of them could just draw a blank!
Large consolidated hospital chains are emerging in the private sector. Clinic networks, Lab networks and Pharmacy chains are also emerging on the scene. Govt is also catching up with the modernisation of its hospitals and PPP. Health Insurance is begining to follow patients even after they leave the clinic and some systems are emerging to manage their health and disease in the society as well. However all this is happening on the brick&mortar side of the healthcare. What about technology, people and process?
TECHNOLOGY:
Is technology catching up at the same pace as brick&mortar? Are these networks/chains having the required technology infrastructure in terms of software, hardware and IT networks? Is the budget being allocated for the technology infrastructure? For a good IT setup, Indian hospitals have to get into a habbit of allocating 10% of their budget to IT.
There is a need to develop a Healthcare-IT platform specifically for India. A platform that will include HIS+EMR+ERP and will be hosted, so that every clinician, administrator or manager can use it over the web. Software as a service [SaaS] model can become a reality now in India because internet bandwidth is becoming available everywhere through fixed lines, mobiles and DTH. The SaaS moel is economically viable because it converts the Capex into Opex. Also there is no entry or exit barrier.
Current HIS/EMR are force fit to the unique requirements of the Indian Healthcare. Either they are imported and dont include the special needs of Indian business. Or they are home grown and dont recognize the global aspirations of Indian hospitals/clinics.
Public Health informatics is still a far cry!
PEOPLE:
Is there trained manpower available to run this show? we need people trained and experienced in Healthcare + IT + Management skills. Atleast 30% of the people should have all the 3 skills in the same brain and the rest can start from one descipline and acquire the other 2 in time.
I think the real change will happen when our Medical colleges restructure their courses to include management and IT as an integral part of the education curriculum. Some Healthcare Management institutes have taken the first step towards including some part of IT in the curriculum, but there is a long way to go before the model matures.
We need to have short term, medium term and longterm approach to the people issue. Do we have anyone thinking in this direction!
PROCESS:
Awareness about NABH, JCAHO and ISO standards is emerging in large hospitals. More because they want to look attractive to the MNC Health insurance, so that medical tourism can be routed this way. However the culture of Quality is yet to percolate down into the psyche of the Indian Healthcare. This will take time to happen and will require a significant push from central bodies like QCI.
The need of the hour is to define key performance indicators [KPI] for clinical, admin and management aspects of healthcare. Some standard mechanism has to emerge for KPI measurements, analysis, publication and debate. Some healthcare body has to take the lead for KPI in Indian healthcare. Unfortunately very few even understand the concept of Healthcare KPI.
During my recent lecture I asked the Healthcare management students if they are measuring their processes, and most of them could just draw a blank!
Labels: India Healthcare
posted by robusthealth at
3:49 PM
3 Comments:
Hi Pankaj,
I have some queries and suggestions. Even if Medical colleges implement IT education today, the product will be out only after 5 years. Yes its needed because let it be late than never.
Indian Healthcare is not feeling a need for IT as such. During recession, it was IT, that was shelved before every thing. They dont feel IT as a business enhancer. This need to change and I do feel only business requirements can change it - Not even awareness
The solutions in the market, I feel is having a big gap on expectation of the customer. Its high time we develop a 'Working Forum' and would request organizations like Infosys to take charge.
Last is Insurance in Healthcare - Shouldnt we look at failures of US model and try not to repeat those mistakes
Regards,
Manoj Vadavat
9845015700
By
Neo Logic, At
June 16, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Hi All,
I think Indian Healthcare is at an oppurtune place in time, where it is consolidating and can lay down the foundations for Standards like ICD, CPT, NIC/NOC and others amongst several others.
This in turn can be built as a strong base for any growth of Healthcare records across the state level.
Currently there are several single vendor systems running hospitals on their own standards without any interoperability.
Insurance companies should and are in a place to take a lead role to drive these standards.
Nihar
By
Unknown, At
July 12, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Hi Pankaj,
I need some advice. I am currently an IT professional with nearly 2+ years of experience. I am interested in doing a part time course from ICRI called as PG Dip in Healthcare Mgmt.
Is ICRI reputed enough to enable me to get a job. I will be paying 1.25l for a 10 months part time course. Will it be worth it? Please help. You can mail me at janitvora@gmail.com or comment on my blog at urban-indian.blogspot com
By
Janit, At
November 8, 2009 at 11:18 PM
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