India's digital health revolution: consultations after 6 p.m. are booming!

A recent report by MediBuddy reveals that digital healthcare solutions will see a significant rise in India in 2024. The platform reached over 1.27 Crore Indian users, indicating growing adoption of digital healthcare services. Around 40 percent of bookings on MediBuddy were made for family members and friends. What's particularly notable is that 44 percent of these bookings were for parents, while 33 percent were for spouses and 11 percent were for children.

The popularity of digital health services is also reflected in consultation hours: 37 percent of online consultations took place after 6 p.m., indicating increasing demand for flexible, 24-hour healthcare. The most frequently requested specialties are gastroenterology, pediatrics and dermatology. Gastroenterology in particular is seeing increasing interest due to increasing awareness of intestinal health. Pediatricians also play an important role in supporting families with their children's health and development, while dermatology is offering increased consultations for skin problems such as acne.

Growing digital healthcare architecture in India

The revolutionary changes in Indian healthcare are being driven by digital technologies, an analysis by Statista shows. The Government of India has launched various digital programs to establish a comprehensive digital health architecture under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), which was launched in August 2020. The aim of these initiatives is to provide universal healthcare and achieve sustainable development goals by 2030.

The Ayushman Bharat program, initiated in 2018, has similar goals and aims to also address the health needs of the economically weaker sections of the population. While patients pay for primary healthcare themselves, the government finances secondary and tertiary healthcare. Despite progress, the programs face challenges such as a shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas, and low investment in the health sector. The COVID-19 outbreak has further highlighted the need for a strong public health system and universal healthcare coverage, leading to a surge in the use of digital health services, with over 50 million Indian teleconsultation users during the pandemic.

The current situation shows that digital healthcare solutions are gaining traction in India while highlighting the need for a robust healthcare infrastructure across different strata of society.