The challenge to serve the large population of India from a healthcare perspective, or to work towards achieving the ambitious goal set by WHO for Universal Health Coverage – Everyone, Everywhere, is enormous. Traditionally, India has produced excellent doctors and over the last 3 decades, the private hospital industry has leapfrogged to significantly enhance the capacity and quality standards of healthcare delivery. However, India still substantially lags its peers and WHO standards to meet the demands of the country’s patients. As per the 15th Finance Commission Report, India has a woefully inadequate capacity of 20 lakh hospital beds, out of which only 1 lakh beds are reserved for ICUs. Additionally, the ratio of active nurses and allopathic doctor to the country’s population stands at a low of 1:700 and 1:1511, respectively. It is far below the WHO recommendations, i.e., 1:300 for nurses and 1:1000 for doctors, as well as, the ratio in comparator countries like China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UK, USA, and Brazil.
The onslaught of the pandemic in 2020 exposed significant gaps in the healthcare infrastructure at every level, including acute shortage of ICU beds, Oxygen supply and allied healthcare workers. It is interesting that approximately 21.5 million COVID positive people were treated at home, wherein, 93% recovered while 7% had to be moved into a hospital facility. The Home Healthcare industry helped treating approximately 60% of COVID cases at home, thereby reducing a significant amount of pressure borne by hospitals during the acute crises inflicted by the second wave.
Home Healthcare – the sunrise industry and an important adjunct
Until a few years ago, provision of home healthcare services belonged entirely to an unorganized sector. In most cases, old and trust-worthy domestic helpers would double up for support at home, post-hospitalisation or for long-term chronic care. It largely comprised basic services such as assistance with daily activities and simple nursing activities like wound dressing, medication management and in some cases IV infusions. These services were being provided by staff who were untrained in relevant protocols, including the standard clinical hygiene management. However, over the last 8 years, the Home Healthcare industry is undergoing the process of structuring with professional management; attracting finance and progressively becoming an important element in the continuum of health management of an individual.
COVID – the inflection point
Several innovative ideas came to the fore during the pandemic. Telehealth, Telemedicine, and Remote Monitoring—sectors that hitherto faced reluctance from both clinicians and patients—gained rapid adoption, putting in line of sight the “Hospital at Home” concept. Today, the Home Healthcare industry is capable of providing 80% of the primary care at home with an added advantage of 24*7 delivery and monitoring (either onsite or remote), with use of appropriate technology.
With the Indian Government’s huge push for Digitalisation, one of the biggest beneficiaries is the patient using home healthcare services. It allows transparency and standardisation across the value chain, in addition to making the service more affordable and outcome driven. Home Healthcare services run across the continuum of care: Preventive, Critical, Chronic and Palliative.
A few years ago, it would have been hard to imagine that a full-blown ICU set-up could be replicated at home. However, now with several ICU-related services being provided at home, hospitals would be able to reserve their resources for more acute patients. The emerging Home Healthcare sector will also significantly reduce the extended hospital stays by patients, thus reducing the cost occurring due to it. Some of the salient benefits that accrue via home healthcare:
- Significantly reduced cost to the consumer
- Lower rate of infections
- One to one attention
- Wider and global base of expertise available via telehealth
- Reduced man hours due to family’s lower downtime
- Increased turnover of hospital ICU beds catering to more needy patients
Home healthcare worldwide is gaining significant adoption. The global home healthcare market is forecast to grow to US$ 390 Billion by 2026. The Indian home healthcare market, which presently stands at approximately USD 5.4 Billion, is estimated to be worth USD 13.5 Billion by 2025, with a growth rate of 19% CAGR. This growth will be further fuelled as digital technology drive newer markets and extend more services to be consumed in the home. Home Healthcare industry’s explosive growth is also estimated to create 3 million new jobs by 2025.
Rajiv Mathur is the Founder & ExecutiveChairman ofCritical Care Unified (CCU), a technology-led Home Healthcare company.
Source: fiomfacedaily.com
