siliconindia | | October 20209Digitization can help bridge the yawning gap, particularly in the rural and semi-urban areas, which are currently underserved. For instance, in India, there are only 0.98 oncologists per million population ­ and they are mostly based in the urban sectors. A digital health ecosystem can democratize access to quality care, thereby ensuring early detection and treatment of most cancers.Tracking compliance, by monitoring disease conditions remotely, can be empowering, particularly in cases where adherence to therapy is critical. This will not only help cut down on healthcare costs but also facilitate better management of chronic healthcare conditions ­ given the rising prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and cardiac ailments in India.Powered by dataDigitization can make the patient's medical history easily accessible, and thus enable immediate medical attention. Data on biomarkers and genetic predispositions can help healthcare providers to zero in on anomalies early, possibly pre-empting a healthcare crisis.Another advantage of embracing digitization is when a patient's medical condition ­ cancer, for instance ­ necessitates doctors from different specialties often coming together to chalk out the treatment plan. A digital platform facilitates interoperability, seamless exchange of ideas and discussions in real-time, enabling faster and more efficient decisions.Under the National Digital Health Mission, every Indian citizen will now have unique health IDs, digitized health records with identifiers for doctors and health facilities. A digital health ecosystem will, undoubtedly, bring in more efficiency and transparency in healthcare services across the country. And it could not have come at a better time.Future roadmapToday, smartphone apps are helping people track health risks, while hospital reports are getting uploaded to government dashboards. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digitization in healthcare.For India, the focus needs to be on building a nationwide digital infrastructure, driven by innovation and agility. The need of the hour is to integrate digital data and technology into the national health systems, a single repository of medical records of all citizens. We need to think not just about maintaining electronic data, but also about ensuring data privacy and trust in thehealthcare system.Predictive and preventive care is the future of medicine. And digital health tools hold the promise of realizing India's vision of `Health for All' - making healthcare truly accessible and affordable for all citizens. A digital health ecosystem can democratize access to quality care, thereby ensuring early detection and treatment of most cancersAmit Sharma, Group Head - Strategy and IT
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