Abstract

E-HEALTH IN INDIA: MARKET POTENTIAL AND ITS CHALLENGES

Nitesh Gunjan* and Rajarshi Dasgupta

ABSTRACT

As healthcare enterprises seek to move towards an integrated, sustainable healthcare delivery model an IT enabled or online healthcare strategy is being increasingly adopted. In this study we identified the critical success factors influencing the effectiveness of an e-Healthcare strategy in India. The performance assessment criteria used to measure effectiveness were increasing reach and reducing cost of healthcare delivery. It involves the speedy transmission of patient data related to consultations, diagnostic and therapeutic services, patient education and rehabilitative services among the providers, the consumers, the planners and researchers. E-Health, broadly defined as the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in health, can make a world of difference in all developed and developing countries. Most notable attribute of e-Health is that it is enabling the transformation of the health system from one that is narrowly focused on curing diseases in hospitals by health professionals, to a system focused on keeping citizens healthy by providing them with information to take care of their health whenever the need arises, and wherever they may be. The present paper discusses the challenges and opportunities in ICT implementation in health care specific to Indian scenario.

Keywords: e-health, e-health challenges, healthcare, ICT, IT, online healthcare.