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IN AN AGE OF DIGITAL INFORMATION OVERLOAD, BUILDING TRUSTIS ESSENTIAL
DIAGNOSTICS
Dinesh Chauhan,CEO,CORE Diagnostics highlights the key trends in diagnostic sector which will be crucial in the future
The diagnostic industry has emerged as an indispensable sector in India's burgeoning healthcare sector, and it is one of the country's fastest-growing services. The domestic diagnostic sector is predicted to be around USD9 billion (about Rs 675 billion) and is expected to develop at a CAGR of 10 per cent over the next five years. Changes in the demography, an increase in changing lifestyles, and higher income levels across all socioeconomic groups are responsible for fuelling growth in this sector, as well as increase in preventative testing, deeper penetration and extension of healthcare services and insurance.
In the global effort to resist and restrict the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the importance has been re-emphasised. Despite accounting for only 2 per cent of overall healthcare spending, IVDs have a 66 percent influence on clinical decision-making. They are critical in detecting disease, evaluating therapy efficacy and patient health status, and/or enabling disease prevention.
IVDs cover a massive spectrum of conditions and are such a fundamental aspect of modern medicine that the World Health Organization has designated about 122 test categories as essential. Despite their tremendous utility, current diagnostic testing still has room for improvement.
Keytrends to lookforward to
While the coronavirus changed the way healthcare is delivered around the world in 2020-21, the year 2021 specifically has brought its own set of challenges, including differing perspectives on vaccines, powerful COVID-19 variants, and hospitals overflowing as they cater for patients with and without the virus. ◆ Telemedicine has established itself as an important part of the healthcare scene
Many doctors and health systems quickly adopted telehealth and virtual care models as social distancing and stayat-home orders upended the healthcare delivery model and have witnessed the benefits it can bring to patient care. It will likely prove durable long beyond the epidemic and will establish itself as a permanent and important fixture in the healthcare ecosystem. ◆ Quality enhancement hastens the implementation of evidence
Following the pandemic, which exposed the flaws and limitations of medical research's present delivery system, there is an increased demand for tools and solutions that decrease the time between identifying clinical problems and implementing evidencebased clinical remedies. Quality improvement in research activities is critical to improved patient outcomes and success, these are time-intensive programmes, and it can be challenging to efficiently expose and integrate new findings in the context of a constantly shifting clinical practice. ◆ In an age of digital information overload, building trust is essential
With the COVID-19 pandemic came the information epidemic, as the World Health Organization coined it for the influx of erroneous or misleading information across social, digital, and physical contexts in healthcare.
It is important to only trust in "high-quality, evidencebased health material" not just for patients, but also healthcare professionals. In an information-saturated world, having material that reflects patients' lived experiences and assists physicians in providing clear, accurate, and accessible health information will be critical to create trust amongst patients. Effective, engaging digital health necessitates not only the proper technology, but a full-fledged experience that informs and motivates consumers. ◆ Demand for monitoring diagnostic tools
Patients require more frequent monitoring and often for longer periods of time as the population ages and the prevalence of chronic disease rises. This has fuelled the demand for monitoring diagnostics tools. Biomarkers like Troponin T and NT-pro BNP can help clinicians diagnose, monitor, and effectively manage cardiovascular disorders.
Another area of expansion is the use of predictive biomarkers, as healthcare organisations realise the significance of being able to identify at-risk individuals. If we can predict cancer before it develops, we will be able to act early with the appropriate treatment and save lives. This is a substantial departure from the existing practice, which is to wait until symptoms appear before diagnosing the problem. ◆ AI helps to minimise hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)
In the coming years, the healthcare industry will be examining the usefulness of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered infection prevention and control (IP&C) technologies to better monitor patients in realtime with swift infection risk diagnosis and early clinical intervention. While healthcare sector has been allocated more & more resources for infection prevention and control efforts to contain COVID-19, it has also caused an increase in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Conclusion
Diagnostics is no longer limited to illness detection. From screening, diagnosis, and prognosis to patient classification and treatment monitoring, it plays a critical role across the healthcare system. It aids in the improvement of clinical practice and treatment quality, as well as patient outcomes.
So, while diagnostics has always been a basis of healthcare, it is now poised to play a crucial role in revolutionising healthcare. Diagnostic solutions enable clinicians to make better decisions, give patients more control over their health and well-being, and provide payers and policymakers with the assurance that they are investing in the correct solutions. We now have access to a more proven and effective approach to healthcare, one in which diagnostics plays an even larger role.
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