From hospital walls to everyday life: Technology’s role in making Indian healthcare truly patient-centric

By utilising digital tools, providers can strengthen the relationship between patients and doctors. 

India's healthcare system is gradually evolving beyond hospitals. Today, instead of merely making appointments, waiting hours in line, and receiving paperwork, people are experiencing greater connectivity and accessibility to their healthcare.

As India’s telemedicine service supported 282 million telemedicine consultations through artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted differential diagnosis, an AI system for monitoring malnutrition, the creation of an ecosystem for infectious disease management, cancer care, and traditional Ayurvedic medicine, and the National One Health Programme.

More than simply implementing new technology in hospitals, this change is also about improving responsiveness, continuity, and humanity in the delivery of care.

Preventive healthcare begins before getting sick
The healthcare system in India has primarily been reactive in nature. People typically visit a physician after they have developed serious symptoms. However, advancements in technology have transformed this method of responding to health issues toward prevention and early intervention.

Wearable technology and health tracking devices have become extremely valuable. Many of the older devices were limited to tracking the number of steps travelled. Today’s wearable devices have the capability of tracking heart rate variance, sleep patterns, oxygen levels, and the presence of irregular heartbeats.

Adoption and utilisation of digital health technology
AI is an integral part of India’s restructuring of its Public Health Delivery System, allowing the government to close specialist gaps and provide proactive care. This can be seen in how the government integrated AI-enabled tools into the National Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Programme, 27% reduction in poor TB outcomes, and the National Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Programme, 4,500 alerts of TB outbreaks, using non-specialist personnel for higher levels of screening than before.

AI diagnostics 
AI diagnostics works by analysing medical data such as x-rays, scans, lab reports, and patient history using trained algorithms to identify patterns that may not be easily visible to the human eye.

For example, it can quickly detect signs of tuberculosis in chest X-rays or early stages of diabetic retinopathy in eye images. The role of AI is to support doctors by providing faster, more consistent, and data-backed insights, helping prioritise critical cases and reduce diagnostic errors. In India, this is especially valuable in areas with limited specialists, as it improves early detection, speeds up treatment decisions, and makes quality healthcare more accessible.

Internet of Things (IoT)
The IoT technology has commenced utilising IoT technology by providing assistance, allowing patients to better manage their health, improving the quality of services provided by service providers, reducing costs, and increasing the efficient management of resources within hospitals. The use of IoT-based solutions can enhance patient care qualities and encourage their adherence to the self-care tenets necessary for improved self-management.

Service providers can use IoT-based systems to monitor patients who require continual monitoring and attention, thereby improving the overall quality of healthcare. Finally, IoT can facilitate new approaches to resource management within healthcare organisations, resulting in cost reductions.

Personal Health Records (PHR)
PHRs are electronic resources that enable people to easily view, control, and share their own health records electronically. As healthcare transitions to focus on preventive care rather than just treating illnesses, usage of PHRs has increased. The most widely used form of PHRs is EMR-linked PHRs, which have a direct link to a patient’s hospital records.

Overall, the use of health information technology (health IT), including PHRs, creates better quality and management, and saves money throughout the entire health care system as they generate improved clinical outcomes, such as safety and fewer medical errors, patient engagement and satisfaction, hospitals’ operational efficiencies, and save money.

Telemedicine and e- sanjeevani 
The number of telemedicine services has dramatically increased in India as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To aid in this, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) announced the e-Sanjeevani platform through which individuals can receive a doctor consultation online to alleviate pressure on the healthcare system.

The platform can be divided into two modules: The e-Sanjeevani OPD, a platform for remote consultations between the doctor and patient; and e-Sanjeevani AB-HWC, which helps connects Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) to specialist doctors, providing better access to healthcare services in remote locations.

Aarogya Setu app 
By utilising the Aarogya Setu app, individuals can sign up for the Ayushman Bharat Health Account through which they may engage with healthcare providers and receive digital lab reports, prescriptions, and diagnoses through verified healthcare professionals and providers.

Through the use of the app, individuals may also schedule online appointments with doctors by using the e-Sanjeevani OPD application. This will allow individuals to have a doctor consultation from the comfort of their own home.

How technology is making Indian healthcare truly patient-centric
Digital strategies have been revolutionising healthcare by putting the patient at the centre of care. Today’s patients are empowered by their ability to use digital technologies and expect their healthcare to meet their needs and wants.

By utilising digital tools, providers can strengthen the relationship between patients and doctors, as well as provide a more personalised and seamless experience.

Platforms such as mobile apps, wearables, and patient portals allow patients to track their vital signs, manage medications, and connect with their doctor in real time, whilst also providing one place for all of the patient’s information to be stored for quicker, more informed decision-making by the physician and improved quality of care overall.

A transition beyond technology
The emergence of patient-centred care as the driving force behind providing easy access to care, a seamless transition between different healthcare services, and locating services within the process of daily life are just some of the factors contributing to this transformation. Technology is being used as a means of moving from reactive to preventative care and from being a delivery system-focused to being truly patient-centred.

This shift is significant in countries such as India and will continue to evolve with future trends in healthcare delivery to accommodate the rise in demand for care efficiently and effectively.