making a statement at the Global Digital Health Summit, Expo and Innovation Awards Speaking at the summit, Jitendra Singh, the minister of state for science and technology, said: "This summit is a great opportunity to focus on research and innovation goals, particularly in relation to the digital advancements in the healthcare sector. "The healthcare sector is digitising and innovating at an accelerated pace, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, fast digitisation, rising internet and smartphone penetration, and government initiatives like Make in India and National Digital Health Mission," added Singh.

 

The Minister also stated that over the previous few years, healthcare has shifted its attention to innovation and technology. In the next five years, 80% of healthcare organisations plan to boost their spending on digital healthcare solutions. Indian entrepreneurs are creating ground-breaking medical technology goods and services. Through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the government is implementing these advancements in digital health, according to Singh.

 

India, according to Singh, has all the prerequisites for this sector's explosive expansion, including a sizable population, a strong pharma and medical supply chain, smartphone users, and technical personnel. According to Singh, as the rate of digital innovation quickens, healthcare businesses and manufacturers will have more options and patient outcomes will rise.

 

Brian O'Connor, the co-chair of the two-day summit, gave a welcome speech before keynote speaker Bakul Patel, Senior Director of Global Digital Health, Strategy, and Regulatory, Google, gave his speech. A panel discussion on the "Return on Investment in Digital Health" followed it. Cathy Wolfe, President & CEO, GGM, Wolters Kluwer, USA; Dr. Devi Shetty, Chairman & Executive Director, Narayana Health; Rustom Lawyer, Co-founder & CEO, Augnito; Anand Iyer, Chief Analytics Officer, Welldoc Inc, USA; and Manivannan Selvaraj, Founder & MD, Kauvery Group of Hospitals were on the panel, which was moderated by Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Chairman The discussion emphasised the value of clinical decision support systems (CDSS), constraints, and potential solutions for providing healthcare that is both inexpensive and accessible.

 

In response to questions about the future, Lawyer stated, "I think that by utilising the potential of digital technology artificial intelligence, improved healthcare for all is feasible. In order to achieve the best results, we must develop an ICT strategy and framework that treats technology investment as a profit centre rather than a cost centre, drive population health analytics by introducing and enhancing EMR adoption, invest in solutions that make it simpler for doctors to adopt digital solutions like ABDM, and invest in technology that augments the current workforce because the doctor shortage cannot be resolved overnight.

 

The summit concluded with a panel discussion on 'Making India a World Leader in Digital Health Implementation,' featuring Bharat Lal, Director General - National Centre for Good Governance, Government of India; Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary - AYUSH, Government of India; Vivek Sehgal, Director General - Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India; and Sanjay Sood, Project Director - eSanjeevani (National Telemedicine Service).