As difficult or hard as it is to witness the number of people falling ill, the healthcare sector in India has become lucrative over the last few years. Hospitals are mushrooming across the country owing to the growing need for healthcare facilities.
In a recent report shared by the Ministry of Healthcare of the Indian Government, It is estimated that India would require 600,000 to 700,000 additional beds over the next five to six years, which potentially throws an opportunity of more than INR 4000-5000 Crores. While the existing hospitals would look at expanding their capabilities, a lot of new and improvised properties would also come up.Home Healthcare has become a de facto solution and has opened a lot of doors for patients and their families.
There are many ways in which home healthcare can be integrated into one’s life. Apart from the patients that require medical intervention and treatment at a hospital or clinic, there are several patients who spend a considerable amount of period at their homes post their surgery or treatment. Owing to this demand, home healthcare players come actively into the fray to bridge the gap in the health care sector.
Recovery is a process that involves a great amount of care and nurturing. Be it recovering from a surgery, recuperating after a delivery or undergoing physiotherapy after any treatment, this period requires more care than medical assistance. The very thought of being discharged from the hospital and getting back home will start one’s recovery process. Healing comfortably in your own home, under the supervision of your relatives as against being in a hospital, will boost the patients’ morale to a huge extent. Patients recovering from their illness would need a person who is available to attend to them in times of need rather than a doctor who will attend on them from time to time.
Experts say that any sickness can be cured if the mind decides to be happy. For the mind to be happy, the surrounding should appeal to the healing patient as against a hospital atmosphere with other ailing members all around. Being in the company of relatives, taking a stroll under the supervision of a caretaker when time permits, and receiving one on care by trained professionals will speed up the recovery process of any patient.
Home healthcare has started playing a dominant role in the recent years. Talking about the elderly, a category for which the demand for healthcare is very high, home healthcare players have a lot more personalized services to offer . Geriatric care is an aspect that home healthcare players specialize in. Going beyond medical need, a lot of aged people look for simple assistance like accompanying them on a walk, spend time with them in light minded conversations, helping them with simple household chores, etc. a lot of home healthcare players go that extra mile to make the patient feel well taken care of.
A report by the United Nations Populations fund research estimated that the number of people in India above60 years of age will increase from 100 million in 2011 to 300 million by 2050. This means that there is a substantial increase in number of people who would require lengthened medical care and attention.In such contingencies, hospital accommodation and care would be a costly affair.
Non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and cancer, cause around 50% of all deaths in India.Undisputedly, home is considered to be the best place for anyone to recuperate because of the familiarity and comfort it provides when compared to the unfamiliar hospital environment.
Studies show that patients become more independent and are able to heal faster when they are at home because they feel that they are in control of the situation. Due to the immense advancement of technology, a lot of the medical practices done in hospitals can be done at home. Hence, home healthcare provides a complete 24*7 medical attention to patients at home.
For a developing country like India, which is witnessing an increase in demand for healthcare facilities every single day, home healthcare definitely has a unique array of facilities to offer.
About The Author:
This article is authored by Dr.Anitha Arockiasamy, President, India Home Health Care Pvt. Ltd.Dr. Anitha Arokiasamy has played a vital role in the growth of IHHC since 2009. She has over 12 years of experience in both clinical and management domains of healthcare industry. Prior to working with IHHC, she worked as a strategy consultant for the Healthcare Practice of Technopak Advsiors. She comes with a strong background in operations, having worked for various healthcare providers in India and the United States. Dr. Anitha has a Masters in Health Finance and Management from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
(Image Credits: nptoyou.com)
