Telemedicine increases access to care
Distance and travel time between patients and care providers can limit access to care. Fortunately, telemedicine can overcome geographic barriers to healthcare, especially for specialized providers. Telemedicine can be particularly beneficial for patients in medically underserved communities and those in rural geographical locations where clinician shortages exist.
The Need for Telemedicine Clinics in India
India is the world’s largest democratic country, and second most populous country in the world. Despite recent successes in the economic front, India still faces many social challenges like poverty, illiteracy, sanitation, gender inequality, and lack of healthcare for all. The healthcare disparity is mainly due to shortage of trained health care professionals and lack of necessary infrastructure in remote areas of the country. Telemedicine as a tool for health care delivery, particularly in the rural areas where 68% of the population lives.
Telemedicine Market Overview
According to a report by Industry Journal 24, India’s telemedicine market is growing immensely and is impacting the international economy in terms of growth rate, revenue, sale, market share and size, showing the market size in India. Telemedicine is the roadmap for improved medical care in rural areas as per NITI Aayog and it has become all the more relevant in the time of no-contact treatment required due to COVID-19.
The global telemedicine market was valued at USD 32,842.48 million in 2017, is expected to witness a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 18.83% over the period, 2018-2023 (henceforth, the forecast period). Telemedicine services and systems have made the most progress in the remote management of post-acute care
patients with chronic conditions.
The telemedicine market is driven by the rise of healthcare costs, technological innovations, the trend of remote patient monitoring, and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. Today considerable time is spent and effort has to be put in to get opinion of multiple specialists sequentially. Imagine if all the specialists discuss various options with the patient together. Transparency at its highest. Shift to virtual care has always been there in India — after all the Telemedicine Society of India was started 18 years ago! COVID-19 has only accelerated the process.
