Apollo Hospitals is keen to partner with experts to create a framework for a smart healthcare system, according to Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.

Exploiting the capability of information technology in healthcare can deliver huge benefits in terms of efficiency of treatment, patient safety, coverage, cost effectiveness and speed of healthcare delivery. Creating such a comprehensive healthcare framework — a smart healthcare system for smartcities — is the job for a consortium of institutions, Reddy told BusinessLine on Saturday at the sidelines of the two-day 7th International Conference on Transforming Healthcare with IT and 6th International Patient Safety Congress organised here by Apollo Hospitals.

The Centre is keen to set up a National eHealth Authority (NeHA) to oversee the creation of a digital roadmap for healthcare in the country. This will help generate huge data and better understanding of the needs of healthcare — areas where investments are needed for maximum benefit, assessing benefits of spending outcome, legislation and healthcare insurance.

While modern hospitals have gone in for some level of IT infrastructure, Reddy pointed out that typically US hospitals spend up to 3 per cent of their turnover on IT infrastructure whereas in India it is less than 1 per cent. Also, there is need for standardisation for an efficient system including continuity in treatment delivery, insurance, quality assessment and safety.

Cybercrime has been escalating in recent years but in healthcare the awareness and risk involved is yet to be given adequate thought. People continue to use common social media platforms to share information. This should be reined in, she said.

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