How do you think the elective surgery space has evolved over the last couple of years in India, especially after the pandemic? In recent years, pandemic has overwhelmed…
How do you think the elective surgery space has evolved over the last couple of years in India, especially after the pandemic? In recent years, pandemic has overwhelmed hospitals, causing them to close down and postpone critical emergencies. During the peak of Covid-19’s spread in India, an estimated 505,800 non-emergency surgeries, 51,100 cancer surgeries, and 27,700 obstetric surgeries were delayed across the country.
Furthermore, due to the fear of contracting the virus, many patients postponed their scheduled elective surgeries, forcing healthcare providers to change how medical and elective surgical care is delivered. In such uncertain times, surgeons and hospitals recognised their critical role in the management of surgeries, as well as the need to work safely to minimise the spread of the virus in healthcare facilities while also working to reduce morbidity and mortality rates that may result from delays in diagnosis and treatment of elective surgical patients.
What are the new avenues that healthtech companies are bringing into elective surgeries compared to the traditional ones in India? New healthcare startups, as opposed to traditional market players, are specialising in minimally invasive elective and cosmetic surgeries. These treatments are available to patients with the click of a button and at the nearest affiliated hospitals, eliminating the necessity for patients to travel to major cities.
The elective surgery industry has come a long way by leveraging technology to provide patients hassle-free experiences from admission to discharge. Sophisticated technologies enable patients with transparent information throughout their surgical journey, and advanced surgical gadgets help patients recover safely and quickly. In addition, the value propositions include quality care available 24 hours a day, complete price transparency, no-cost financing options, and administrative support. What are some challenges that healthtech companies in the elective surgery space are facing in India?
In India, 90 per cent of the elective surgery market is unorganised, which means that hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies are not connected through a single interface. The 10 per cent organised market for elective surgeries revolves around large hospitals in major cities. As a result, many Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities lack the necessary hospitals and facilities. At the same time, healthtech companies in the elective surgery space face fierce competition when it comes to hiring top-tier healthtech talent.
This is a source-linked briefing. Read the original report from Businessworld Healthcare World .