Virtual Healthcare Consultation in India: The Game changer

Many challenges are confronting Indian healthcare systems like large population, uneven distribution of medical infrastructure, rural-urban divide, high out-of-pocket expenditure etc. Virtual health consultation India (telemedicine) has expanded its scope to a grand extent and has reached some of these problems. 

Although the adoption has been enhanced through the Covid-19 pandemic, virtual care remains in its evolution – with new technology, regulatory changes and innovation from startups impacting what’s possible, all the way through to 2025. This article delves into the unfolding of virtual consultations in the current times in India, what is driving it and what needs to be done for virtual consultations to fulfil their potential in India.

What Do We Mean by Virtual Health Consultation in India?

Virtual healthcare consultation involves those scenarios where the patient visits their healthcare providers via digital platforms, i.e. video calls, phone calls, chat or any other online platforms using digital means instead of in-person visiting clinics. These platforms are usually integrated with the digital prescriptions, lab booking, home sample collection, follow ups and sometimes remote patient monitoring.

In India, the virtual consultations are offered through the private companies (Health tech startups) and through the government/public system. They target users that live in the city areas looking for a little bit of convenience and the ones living in the rural areas which may not have immediate access to specialized products.

Drivers & Growth Factors

The increase in virtual health consultations is being caused by a number of factors:

• Internet Penetration & Smartphone Growth: Finally, people are accessing smartphones and mobile internet even in remote areas and hence have the possibility of video/audio connections.
• Government Policy Support: Treaties like Telemedicine Practice Guidelines and initiatives like Ayushman Bharat digital mission (ABDM) providing access to digital health identity (ABHA) make virtual healthcare more acceptable and standardised.
• Cost & Convenience: Patient incurs less travel cost, saves time and can get a follow-up or opinion of a specialist without waiting in long queues of hospitals.
• Health infrastructure deficiency: In several areas of India, specialist doctors are not available and virtual consultation removes the gap.
• Innovation in healthtech: Home collection of samples, delivery of medicines, remote monitoring of patients, artificial intelligence (AI) triage, AI diagnostics, etc.

Virtual health Consultation: Key Players/ Startups

Some of the best innovators and leaders related to virtual health in India:

• Mfine – Ease of the teleconsultation with instant appointment of diagnostic test (home sample collection), e-health record, faster-paced service and has a lot of medical specialties.
• Practo: One of the previous entrants. Offers online doctor appointment booking, digital doctor visits, some online testing and in many cases, online medicine prescription.
• Tata 1mg: It provides diagnostic services and health content as well as the e-pharmacy base. Its strength is that it brings together a number of related services in one platform.
• Medibuddy: Big network, wide specialty coverage, also has diagnostics/health check/medicine delivery. 
• Tattvan Eclinic: Focused on more rural/remote parts of the country by improving the existing smaller clinics in the region in a telemedicine medical point of interest; so that doctors stationed in the communities could refer to a doctor remotely. 

Advantages of Virtual Consultations

The virtual consultations have the following advantages in the Indian context:

Increased Availability to Specialists

A number of areas of India are bereft of specialist doctors. Therefore, the digital health supports patients of distant areas to avail the care of professionals without travelling a long way.

Reduced Costs for Patients

Travel costs, the number of hours that have to work out, and accommodation (for the most part) are saved. Follow-ups are less expensive because of the lack of requirement to go on site.

Efficiency for Providers

There is less overhead for follow ups; less paperwork transferred; through better scheduling there is more patients that can be seen by the physician.

Better Surveillance of Chronic Conditions

Other diseases can be followed virtually, particularly with the use of a remote monitor or self-reporting, such as in diabetes, hypertension and heart disease; there is more regular oversight with the possibility of check-in and monitoring.

Resiliency of Public Health (Pandemic Resiliency)

Virtual health was fundamental during COVID-19, systems have been strengthened to cope with the outbreak, while remote diagnosis is not a burdening anymore for the hospitals.

Challenges & Barriers

Despite the advances, virtual health consultations are experiencing a number of challenges:

Connectivity Problems: Not all towns or villages are equipped with a stable internet connection or mobile networks with capabilities to make video calls. Lack of connectivity then becomes a constraint.

• Trust & Patient Comfort: There are still many patients and number of doctors who want to go to their doctor to get diagnosed. Some medical conditions cannot be addressed properly by virtual addressing.
• Regulatory & Legal Issues: The records have guidelines but still some of the complications include information privacy issues, data security issues, validity of the prescription in various states and absence of any imperative rule which leads to legal issues.
• Digital Literacy – Some users, particularly older or less educated individuals, can be less comfortable using apps or video calls. 
• Infrastructure & Equipment Costs: For a few of the virtual clinics, the setting up of video consult facilities, remote diagnostic apparatus, logistics for sample collection etc is expensive.
• Quality and Continuity of Care: The continuity and completeness of care (follow-ups, monitoring) are sometimes tougher virtually. 

Conclusion

Even in India, eHealth consultation is no longer a novelty – quickly transitioning into the mainstream mode of access to healthcare for many people. It is cost-effective and is useful for access and filling in gaps particularly for remote and underserved areas. However, for it to realize its full potential it will need better infrastructure, regulation, quality and trust.

The healthtech in India is very dynamic with various start-ups, government programs and providers bringing in innovation in the sector. In any event, there will be further penetration of effective and equitable applications of virtual consultations based on combination of hybrid models, improved diagnostics, chronic care and AI if there is any continuation of momentum.

Also Read: Go to DoctorHub360.com: Receive Digital Healthcare Care Online