Nothing can beat the comfort of home. Especially when old age and sickness feel like they’re getting the better of you. The convenience of receiving quality healthcare at home is virtually turning homes into hospitals. Home healthcare has undergone several changes in the past decade or so and India has witnessed some transformational growth. Though in a nascent stage in India, the home healthcare market stood at about $3.20 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach $6.21 billion in 2020. One reason behind this unprecedented rise of the home healthcare segment is growing disposable incomes and the urge for quality services coupled with an acute dearth of qualified doctors and shortage of hospital beds. However, these figures seem incongruent with the growing patient and geriatric population in the country.
Further, the years that are getting added are those when there is the maximum likelihood of contracting various ailments and diseases. The chances that we would be bedridden and in need of support in our later years is a reality. Apart from the 340 million elderly who will require home care, there will be millions needing critical care at home by the year 2050.
The challenges
One of the challenges this segment faces is the lack of support infrastructure such as insurance coverage for home-based healthcare expenditure. Most insurance policies only cover tertiary care which requires a 24-hour hospital admission. This creates a needless bias towards hospitalisation when ailments can be dealt with at home, often times in a better suited manner. Market leaders in the segment are in talks with insurance brands to bring home healthcare under the insurance umbrella. The population’s mindset is another roadblock. Accepting the transition from when an untrained family member takes care of a bedridden patient to a point where qualified external assistance is sought can be a long journey in itself. The challenge is to understand that the needs of a chronically ill patient vary significantly with factors like the type of ailment, the age and the condition of the patient. With home healthcare picking pace in India, more start-ups in the domain are training the staff right to provide appropriate personalized assistance as per patient needs.
Patient safety
The home care segment has now become a significant part of the value chain of the Indian healthcare industry. There are several players in the market and the need of the hour is for regulations to govern and steer this industry in the right direction. Home healthcare has already begun employing skilled and qualified medical professionals. However, one challenge is the unorganized wing which employs untrained staff. To ensure better patient safety and professional medical care delivery, there is a need for awareness among new entrants as well about the need for quality training.
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With adequate training provided to the caregivers and safety standards, it is possible to make the home environment absolutely safe for the patient and provide access to all essential medical equipment and life-saving apparatus therein. For instance, organized players like Portea ensure that they maintain an environment free of risks and disturbances including infection from family members, high levels of sanitation, ambient noise levels, indoor air quality, and timely assistance in case of emergencies and critical concerns. This is particularly in the case of high-risk patients requiring intensive care. With regulatory frameworks in place, it is possible to prevent mismanagement, human errors and maintain the highest standard of care for patient safety in India. Taking cue from countries like Dubai, India needs to formalize this sector by bringing in standardized patient care norms and employment terms especially structured for the home healthcare segment.
Taking home healthcare to its peak
With a cultural drift towards nuclear families and working couple households, the demand for home-based care for the ailing seems to be growing rapidly. Still, this segment is far from reaching its true potential. While the Indian healthcare market stands at $100 billion, the home care segment only accounts for 3% of the market share. The market is bustling with opportunity and the home care segment has a lot of work to do.
In conclusion
The readiness in the country for home healthcare is evident from the sheer demand for it in the market. While technology can take this segment to greater heights through increased penetration and advancements in healthcare delivery, bringing in regulatory standards for patient safety and employee benefits can ensure expansion of the home healthcare sector to its true potential in the coming years. Overall, we must carefully consider all the avenues to shore up support for elders to live their sunset years with dignity.
Source: ET HealthWorld
