ADMH virtual event on ‘Healthcare Metamorphosis: Technocentrism is the Pressing Priority’ was held on 15th January 2021 explored the areas in which technological advances in healthcare has impacted the industry and the role innovation plays in paving the way forward in an industry that is constant flux.
The discussion was moderated by Sujit Das Biswas, CTO, ORAI Robotics and comprised of Dr Aloke Mullick, Group CEO, OMNI Hospitals, Rupak Barua, Group CEO & Director, AMRI Group of Hospitals, Dr Sandeep Chatrath, Regional CEO & Group Medical Director, Metro Group of Hospitals, P Hari Krishna, Executive Director, Medicover Hospitals, Sameer Mehta, Vice-Chairman, Dr Mehta’s Hospitals and Dr Aafreen Soudagar, CEO, Kalsekar Hospital.
The event also witnessed an industry presentation by Anupam Kulkarni, National Sales Head, InnoServ Digital.
The panel had an engaging discussion on various relevant topics relating to the healthcare sector, such as Innovation in Healthcare, how healthcare has been impacted by advances in technology and how AI and ML can improve R&D productivity.
Beginning the session, Aloke Mullick, Group CEO, OMNI Hospitals explained why it is important to harness technology in the healthcare industry, saying, “It is not a matter of why, it’s a matter of why not?”
He continued, “Technology has taken the lead in healthcare all over the world, it lags in India because of the costs involved. But right now, faced with an extreme amount of government activism, which has reduced the margins dramatically and along with consumer apathy, technology seems to be the only saviour around.”
He added, “There are very innovative solutions coming up in our hospitals. So the question is not why, it’s why not and if we don’t do it, we would miss the bus. Technology has enabled connectivity with the patient. Most technology will allow us to ‘consume’ healthcare. It would provide us with a 360 degree connect with our consumer”.
Sameer Mehta, Vice-Chairman, Dr Mehta’s Hospitals added, “I have a slight contrarian view. I am not disagreeing that technology in healthcare has been growing disproportionately and I’m not disagreeing that the consumer requirement for digital and health has been growing and I think the pandemic gave it a great impetus. What I challenge is that a lot of our digital spend. Predominantly most of us use digital to either engage existing customers or to accrue or get hold of new customers. When we look at the cost of customer acquisition especially on digital for healthcare, I am not sold that that model is clear”.
Mehta added, “To me, the best way to retain a customer is to treat them well, in the hospital, then give great service that involves digital beyond the hospital”.
Rupak Barua, Group CEO & Director, AMRI Group of Hospitals commented, “The pandemic has forever changed our industry, it has provided the healthcare sector with an opportunity to reinvent itself and innovate at a quicker pace. With change, there is always resistance”.
He added, “The pandemic has taught a lesson that we have not only suffered in the operational areas, financially as well. We have learnt that technology can transform the healthcare system”.
Adding her views, Dr Aafreen Soudagar, CEO, Kalsekar Hospital said, “I agree about why not adopt technology, because there are so many options available. One thing that has impacted the healthcare sector is the cost. So we should be very smart while adopting technology which should be cost-effective for the patients as well.”
P Hari Krishna, Executive Director, Medicover Hospitals, remarked, “While technocentrism was already there in the healthcare industry, the pandemic has accelerated the use of technology. Technology is one of the key driving factors in the industry. Technology has accelerated new innovations in healthcare; the pandemic has just shown us a different way of life”.
Dr Sandeep Chatrath, Regional CEO & Group Medical Director, Metro Group of Hospitals added, “Digital healthcare has revolutionised the hospital. Now the entire way of marketing has changed to the digital market. Because of COVID, the paradigm has shifted from the use of technology. The pandemic has also revolutionised the entire healthcare delivery system. The emphasis has increased on AI and how it can be used to predict such pandemics. Healthcare would never be the same now; COVID has taught us the importance of technocentricity”.
