Home healthcare industry all set to emerge stronger
Recently, Healthcare Federation of India in its white paper called for urgent need to establish minimum standards for home care providers in order to streamline and standardize care delivery
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With advanced digital care seamlessly integrated to provide cutting-edge care at health-seekers' fingertips, the home healthcare industry holds the latent power to provide integrated, personalised care at scale to the very last mile
The Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH), an apex healthcare body serving as a credible and unified voice in improving access and quality of healthcare in the country, in January this year had come up with a white paper on 'Indian Home Healthcare 2.0: Redefining the modern care continuum'. It was a first of its kind attempt to place forward perspectives from all industry stakeholders and propose recommendations to government on strengthening and providing market stewardship for the growth of the homecare segment in India. The white paper was laid out by a special task force convened by NATHEALTH. The taskforce comprised homecare, digital health and senior care specialists along with key industry stakeholders from providers, insurers and med-tech sectors across the country.
The releasing of a white paper on home healthcare is a significant step by this healthcare body as the Indian homecare market, which is growing at 19 per cent CAGR at present, is expected to grow 2.5 times by 2025. With the right impetus, this market has the potential of an additional $5 billion. The potential of the home healthcare sector was very much evident during the Covid-19 pandemic as this segment supported the overburdened Indian healthcare system by helping augment care capacity and provide Covid care at home to nearly 21 million Indians, decongesting hospitals, freeing up valuable bed capacity and offering appropriate care in settings where hospitalization was not necessary.
It is true that as the home healthcare is emerging stronger day by day in the country, it needs a separate government policy to make this sunrise industry to thrive in the coming days. Quite aptly, the white paper contained 10 implementation focused initiatives recommended to accelerate policy reforms, standardization of home care delivery services, and improve accessibility and affordability of care in tier II and tier III geographies. It outlined top three recommendation areas under the focused goal of 'what can be done at home, must be done at home.' Under the focused goal of regulatory and governance, the white paper called for urgent need to establish minimum standards for home care providers in order to streamline and standardize care delivery. As immediate next steps, an industry consultative transparent process required for defining national licensing standards as part of the Clinical Establishments Act or as a separate policy. Medical care being provided outside healthcare institutions needs to be integrated with institutional care i.e., initiation, referral, handover, discharge, home modification, equipment, monitoring etc. The white paper further emphasized the need to mainstream QAI's Accreditation standards for home care, ensure a transparent care delivery system and maintain trust, safety, and privacy, and define data privacy and security regulations. Data sharing between the healthcare providers, ensuring visibility and accessibility of data to patients and family will be crucial.
Under the focused goal of capacity building, the white paper called for establishing a specialized homecare workforce by introducing curriculum and training standards for home care personnel; institutionalization of multiple models of learning to allow flexibility and interest from aspirants; role-based licensing of specialized skilled homecare professionals with periodic renewal mechanisms; prioritized inclusion into schemes for indigenous med-tech development – PLI Scheme, draft R&D policy 2021, PPO applicability for government schemes - PMJAY, NDHM and others; enhancing the reach and strength of the digital infrastructure – internet connectivity and digital devices that support care delivery beyond metro cities. Under the focussed goal of care financing, the whitepaper recommended introducing Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) based on local and international protocols, financing of care for continuity and an inclusive care ecosystem, 10-year tax holiday for new entrants - this could be associated with care delivery in government focus areas or schemes, tax breaks to incentivize care delivery in semi-urban and rural areas, GST benefits as laid out for institutional healthcare providers.
So, by bringing out the white paper, the NATHEALTH has now shown the clear pathway for this emerging sector in the country. Increasing healthcare costs, growing elderly population, lack of skilled manpower and greater demand for care outside institutions has necessitated innovative solutions in the home care space. So, the focus has to be on reducing the load on the healthcare infrastructure in the country. With advanced digital care seamlessly integrated to provide cutting-edge care at health-seekers' fingertips, the home healthcare industry holds the latent power to provide integrated, personalised care at scale to the very last mile. It is now upto the Indian government to act fast to give the much needed impetus to this sunrise industry.
(The author is freelance journalist with varied experience in different fields)
