The growing importance of tier-II and tier-III cities
India’s healthcare and laboratory leaders agree that meeting these demands will require better distribution of healthcare services. From expertise to infrastructure, 75% of healthcare assets are accessible by only 27% of the population [1]. Access is particularly limited outside the country’s major cities.
Point-of-care testing (POCT) is one solution to the last mile-hurdle. Its potential for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases like malaria, dengue and HIV is widely acknowledged, even if challenges remain for its implementation in low-resource settings. And with skyrocketingĀ incidence of non-communicable diseases like diabetes in India and other countries around the world, it could also prove usefulĀ in the diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of chronic conditions.
āI have an experience in an earlier hospital where as part of our CSR [corporate social responsibility] programme we had adopted 200 villagers in the nearby area, and we could establish [POCT] for as little as about a dollar a month,ā saidĀ Mr Dilip Jose, now Managing Director and CEO at Manipal Hospitals. āDiabetes could be controlledā¦ by monitoring at their homes and using generics.ā
While a dollar per month may not be a large investment, scaling this up to cover whole communities or regions would increase the cost significantly.
āWe have been clamouring about POCT for years,” noted Mr Varshita. “At one level, you want the test to be accurate. Sensitivity and specificity has to be high. [But] POCT eludes this. [And] for the areas where you want screening to be done, it is still expensive.”
While POCT may not be a panacea that will deliver accurate and affordable care to all, it does help healthcare providers to reach out to patients in more remote areas, close the care loop, and avoid unnecessary loss to follow up.
Coupled with mobile platforms that track POCT results, laboratories and healthcare providers can offer further value by effectively extending services even those patients who live far away from any care providers. With mobile phone penetration projected to rise rapidly in the coming years ,Ā laboratories can complement physical infrastructure with virtual networks through which to provide innovative services and createĀ low-cost digital solutions.
āI do think the mobile is going to be the hub for diagnostic services in India and thatās where the patient will be the centre and the epicentre of care,” said Dr Ajay Gupta, MD and Group CEO of the Indo UK Institute of Health believes laboratory medicine will evolved.
References:
[1] Patil, A., 2002. Current health scenario in rural India. The Australia Journal of Rural Health. 10(2), pp.129-135.
This article isĀ based on a panel discussion “Are we ready to drive the next wave of healthcare growth?”Ā at LEADx Diagnostics Leadership Summit in Mumbai, India.
