Healthcare IT Taskforce formed by NATHEALTH-NASSCOM

MUMBAI: Keeping up with prime minister Narendra Modi’s endeavor to go digital, the Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH) and NASSCOM have formed a Joint Council (NNJC) to use digital technology for innovative healthcare solutions. The joint council will focus on creation of central IT healthcare platform, remote healthcare, IT enabled preventive and chronic care and healthcare workforce.
The NNJC will comprise of top leaders in member companies from both the institutions, representing healthcare and IT sectors. These bodies have already signed an MoU. “Through our collaboration with NASSCOM, our vision is to leverage technology to address healthcare challenges and improve patient care. NATHEALTH-NASSCOM joint initiative will try to build linkages across multiple stake-holders in healthcare and information technology sectors. We will try to evangelize a new class of technology solutions and service delivery platforms that enhance healthcare access, affordability, availability and therefore support the government’s aim to achieve Universal Health Coverage,” said Anjan Bose, secretary ceneral, NATHEALTH.
“Initiative of using mobile and internet strategies – such as telemedicine, doctors on call and remote patient monitoring will help in improving the access of quality healthcare universally,” said Sushobhan Dasgupta, president, NATHEALTH. He added that telemedicine through tele-consultation, E-ICUs, remote patient monitoring, lifestyle management through education tools will further help in enhancing patient care to the next level. “Through digital mode, a patient at the primary health centre in a village can be connected to any medical specialist hundreds of miles away and diagnosed online. It can also be a powerful tool for real time disease surveillance.
Bose said that using wearable and mobile technology will help educate and engage citizens in healthy living and prevention of diseases. “India has mobile penetration increasing at 3%, Smartphones at 70% and Internet at 22%. Therefore innovations in Digital Healthcare will enable solutions across the healthcare value chain,” he said.