By Ayush Atul Mishra founder, CEO, Tattvan E Clinics
Telemedicine in India has emerged as one of the most impactful digital health innovations. The phenomenal benefits that it provided in the pandemic era cannot be overstated. It not only enhanced healthcare in rural areas; it also facilitated affordability in getting quality patient care, which propelled its growth in India. According to a report by IMARC Group, the telemedicine market in India stood at US$1.9 billion in 2022, and it is further anticipated to reach US$10.7 billion by 2028. With telemedicine growing and becoming the norm, there have been several transformations and technological advancements happening in the industry. This has given rise to several new trends that are shaping the healthcare industry holistically.
E-clinics have become the norm
With the growth of cutting-edge technologies, e-clinics have become the norm in India. Through the notion of e-clinics, regular doctor consultation has expanded to the most remote regions of the nation. Medical specialists are now accessible to patients who live in distant areas who previously had to travel long distances in a bid to get relevant consultations. As a result, high-quality healthcare is now accessible to these patients, which is also convenient and affordable. People throughout the country are now living healthier lives, thanks to the emergence of e-clinics and telemedicine, which have now become the norm.
Incorporation of EHR in telemedicine
While telemedicine services continue to expand within the country, incorporating electronic health record (EHR) system can maximise its outcome. It enables real-time results sharing, sharable patient files, and wide access to medical research. As a result, the medical practitioners get reliable information that helps them make faster and more accurate diagnoses while also allowing the patients to view their health records from a personal device without ever visiting a doctor’s office. Hence, the incorporation of EHR and other interoperability features in telemedicine is improving patient outcomes as well as patients and healthcare providers’ communication.
Integration of cutting-edge technologies
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making waves in a multitude of industries, and healthcare is not an exception. AI is leveraged in telemedicine to track the patient’s progress, schedule visits, and set reminders for the patient to take medicines on time. In addition, machine learning (ML) can predict a person’s outcomes based on their historical records and spot any early illness indicators. Another technological trend is the introduction of 5G in telemedicine, which is poised to enhance connection times, improve streaming quality, reduce lag, and facilitate faster file transfers. The accuracy of data capture is also anticipated to increase as there will be fewer disconnections between patients and healthcare professionals, resulting in greater satisfaction.
All things considered
The emergence of telemedicine has been pivotal for the healthcare industry, as it has bridged the digital health divide. The impact has been so profound that the Government of India has also recognised its relevance and taken several initiatives, such as the National Telemedicine Network (NTN), eSanjeevani, and more. With telemedicine gaining ground in India, there have been several trends emerging that are shaping the healthcare sector, such as e-clinics, the integration of EHR, and the adaptation of cutting-edge technologies. Collectively, it is enhancing the outcome of the telemedicine services. As we move towards the future, telemedicine services will be more accessible and affordable, raising the standard of care provided to patients across the nation.