Moving towards value based care

Conversation with Dr. Preetha Reddy (Apollo Hospitals)

*For our first two conversations, please refer to the article "Humans as a race have to go digital” on?21 June, 2021 and “Who will pay for this magical solution” on 13 July, 2021, respectively.

Elisabeth Staudinger:

Dr. Preetha, in our last conversation, we envisioned moving towards a more value based care. What are the core challenges that we need to overcome to make significant progress towards that vision?

Dr. Preetha Reddy:

In providing access, there is still a lot to be done. And when I say access, it's both geographical and financial access. Digital technology has and will help us with geographical access. People can find a way to get an opinion or an intervention. As for financial access, we need to find innovative funding mechanisms. So, these are two challenges which need to be tackled. But to me, the biggest concern is the fact that we don't have enough manpower to actually deliver on health care. There’s a skills gap, whichever way we look at it. Wherever in the world, we don't have enough clinicians, we don't have nursing talent, we don't have support service talent. While technology can definitely support, and maybe take over some of the challenge, the manpower challenge is huge and we need to think of ways and means to really come in. We are working on training and skilling, because we know that there is going to be a manpower challenge within India, globally, and other parts. India is a large English-speaking audience and people are available. And so we can train them, have them take on larger roles, not only in India but globally.

To me, the biggest concern is the fact that we don't have enough manpower to actually deliver on health care.

Elisabeth Staudinger:

That’s a very valid topic. The English-speaking nature of India is definitely an opportunity because it's so much easier to connect with the rest of the planet. You said access is a key element. Digitalization maybe can help. Skills was the second topic, where you believe that investing into building better capabilities can help in India, but maybe also help India to grow the business beyond India to deliver services to the world. In fact, we as a company, absolutely believe in India….any other challenges you would see?

Dr. Preetha Reddy:

I think bringing down the cost of care is required for India, and globally for that matter. Can we find more cost-effective ways for manufacturing, more cost-effective ways for interventions? That is a challenge, but that's a challenge which can be overcome.

I think bringing down the cost of care is required for India, and globally for that matter.

Elisabeth Staudinger:

That is a topic that we are also strongly focusing on and it brings me to the next question: how could you see the MedTech industry contributing more?

Dr. Preetha Reddy:

There is a great opportunity in India, especially because there is vision of “Make in India”. It's a good step in the right direction. The size of the pie has suddenly grown because the government now is very committed to providing high quality health care and of the highest standards. Can we find innovative models which are cost effective, to be made in India? Can we have data management clusters which then can be used for the future, whether it's precision medicine, whether it's AI or whether it's machine learning, for us to be able to predict? The machines help to a large extent in terms of accurate diagnosis and standardizing workflows. That’s where the MedTech Industry and we can do more.

While we can be very high tech, we need to be high touch also. The clinician’s intelligence and the clinicians focus are important, and we need tools for them to offer a better diagnosis. Clearly, there is going to be more connectivity. Intelligence will come together in another space and everything will be connected.

Elisabeth Staudinger:

Thank you very much, Dr. Preetha. Please keep challenging us because it's really something that helps us to step up and not stop and keep developing and keep responding and learning and stay relevant.