This write-up is contributed by Mr. Sugato Roy.

Last week we discussed the effects of digitalisation on our everyday life and schedule. Healthcare forms a very important aspect of our life today. The health sector and healthcare scenario witnessed serious turmoil and cataclysm since March 2k2k for COVID 19 which is still prevailing. Maintaining social distance two years back became the order of the day. Complete lockdowns for days together forced normal life to grind to a halt. Every establishment downed its shutters including auxiliary healthcare facilities. The ailing and infirm people who needed to get in touch with medical practitioners including personal physicians bore the brunt. At this critical juncture, the healthcare sector had to take a call and craft substantial transformation and transition towards digitalization. This evolution and switch were very important. The skewness towards digitalisation in the healthcare sector increased manifold over the last two years. Syndicated researches reaffirm that in our country this figure shot up close to 90 % in many cases. Another striking part of this research regurgitates that out of this whopping figure most of the patients were earlier in favour of in-person visits to the various healthcare facilities.  And mind you, this line is not hyperbole and overstatement.

Digitalisation and the healthcare industry are in perfect sync with each other. Digital technologies and digitalisation are the latest trendsetters now in the healthcare sector and COVID 19 has in a way propelled this rapid growth.

The healthcare sector in our country is one of the biggest in the world. People all over the world envisage India’s healthcare industry in very high esteem. The healthcare sector enjoys a very high brand salience and brand equity. The industry is confident of touching Rs 8.6 trillion by the end of this year. Digitalisation and various healthcare modules and apps will play a stellar role to attain this goal. This shot in the arm will take our healthcare sector to unassailable heights in the days to come.

We pore over and explore certain innovative strides and pioneering success in this specific domain.

• Health Informatics — The concept of health informatics is growing at an exponential rate more so since the pandemic started. Medical Big Data analysis and AI have also enhanced the scope and domain of health informatics and healthcare. Today the diagnosis and line of treatment have become patient-centric in most cases. We have witnessed this trend during this pandemic. Thumbs up to digitalisation!

• Telemedicine and telemonitoring — The treatment for patients and patient monitoring became knotty and intricate during COVID 19. Maintaining social distance became the order of the day.  Medical professionals and patients could not meet face to face. Telemedicine and telemonitoring played a gigantic role during these trying times and today they have become the order of the day! Remote treatment and patient care monitoring today have become one of the biggest blessings of healthcare in our country.

• IoMT —- Healthcare is now more technology-driven, thanks to digitalisation. The concept of IoMT is the best example of how best the community and public health standards have benefited and monitored towards the paramount advantage of the patients. The model is top suited for patients in far-flung areas who cannot get access to the superlative facilities always.

• Big data analysis —  Digitalisation being the core of the healthcare sector today, we obtain lots of data almost every day from multiple patients.  Big data mining is helping healthcare professionals today in multiple ways for the benefit of the patients. The authorities minimize the cost escalation for treatment and at the same time, patients can afford to have much better care with better results. The healthcare providers can work on their operational and administrative costs too. Big data analysis, therefore, provides a double benefit for the entire ambit of healthcare projects. 

• Cyber security cover — Breach of cyber security is one of the biggest threats we face today. Curbing the erroneous deeds of the cyber hackers prowling into the healthcare sector is the need of the hour. This is a super-priority.  

The Healthcare sector and digitalisation in our country are in for gigantic strides and dynamic progression in the days to come. All for the benefit of mankind.

GRADUATE FROM ST XAVIER’S COLLEGE AND POST GRADUATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA, SPECIALIZING IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT AND ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT.  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF 24 YEARS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY.  HAS BEEN AWARDED FOR  LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY MANAGEMENT.