A joint publication by BCG and FICCI titled “Leapfrogging to a Digital Healthcare System: Reimaging Healthcare for Every Indian” was released at the 14th FICCI HEAL, (the annual health conference organized by FICCI) by M Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India, Dr Sangita Reddy, President FICCI and joint MD Apollo Hospitals, and Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

This report will be distributed to the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Aayog, Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, State ministries and Secretaries among other dignitaries in the public and private sector.

Surveys conducted by BCG across doctors and patients highlight that 85% of the clinicians used digital platforms for patient interactions during the lockdown. 50% of the clinicians found these platforms to be an effective medium for providing care.

Additionally, 60% patients across metro and tier 1 cities reported they would continue using digital platforms for primary care in the post COVID world due to the fundamental benefits of shorter waiting time and easy access to qualified doctors. In addition, as per reports, the lockdown period saw teleconsultation services being accessed by over 2000 small towns, with 80% patients being first time users.

We are now at the cusp of the digital 3.0 era of Open Digital Ecosystems that represents a fundamental change in the way the government can leverage technology for public care delivery and enable private sector innovation. It entails creation of a shared public digital infrastructure that can be leveraged by both public and private players to deploy new solutions that enhance the end-user experience.

Just like the creation of shared digital infrastructure in the financial industry enabling UPI payments, the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), in the next few years, will catalyze a robust digital infrastructure for the Indian healthcare ecosystem. As per the report, it is estimated that over the next decade, NDHM can potentially unlock an incremental value of Rs 1.5 lakh crore for the healthcare industry.

Bart Janssens, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG said “We anticipate that over the next 10 years, NDHM can unlock incremental economic value of over USD 200 billion for the healthcare sector. Public and private ecosystem players will have to realign their operating models to capture this value and stay ahead of the curve. This will pave way for more patient-centric solutions driving accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.”