Invest In It Backbone And Interoperability Standards In Healthcare

Digital technologies can help both private and public sector’s program leaders to improve service delivery for all and the digital health programmes would have much deeper impact for rural masses

- Mr. Anjan Bose

Indian healthcare sector aspires to provide quality healthcare to all and to meet the enormous need for efficient healthcare management, digital health can play a very crucial role. The integration of technology and health services in the form of digital health is the key pillar with which the healthcare services delivery and management can be made more efficient.

The government recently unveiled much awaited National Health Policy 2017 which aims at quality care and affordable health services to all. It is promising to note that the government has recognized the importance of digital health and proposed establishment of National Digital Health Authority (NDHA).The proposed Authority aims to regulate, develop and deploy digital health across the continuum of care. It is widely admitted that digital health can bridge the healthcare gap and it has huge potential to revolutionize the public health scenario in the country. Digital Health can be of great help in India which is having to battle the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable or lifestyle diseases. In view of wider adoption of digital health in the country the NDHA would play a very critical role in strengthening the entire healthcare ecosystem.

Role of Private Sector With deep penetration of technology in the healthcare sector, the joint public private focus on digital would pave the way to the future. The healthcare sector needs to invest in an IT backbone and interoperability standards and provide incentives for adoption.

According to NATHEALTH AAROGYA BHARAT REPORT, non-communicable diseases will cost India $6.2 trillion by 2030. Hence, India’s unique needs drive priorities for healthcare technologies. The priorities include engaging patients through digital health, enhancing care across the continuum through the use of Information Technology.