Gautam Khanna,
utive Director, Healthcare Division, 3M India, spills the beans on effective healthcare in remote areas

How do you think technology has been making contribution in healthcare?
The use of technology has certainly enhanced the delivery of patient care both from a clinical and administrative perspective. It has provided care givers the ability to access patient information in a timely manner regardless of location. This access to patient information helps facilitate clinical decision making, especially at the point of care. This clinical and demographic information can then be used by hospital administration to uate the quality and cost of healthcare delivery.

What kind of health IT/medical equipment solutions you are offering to Indian healthcare market?
3M Health Information Systems (3M HIS) specialises in the analysis and development of health policy as it relates to casemix based funding and measurements of outcomes of care through the use of advanced techniques such as simulation modeling. 3M HIS is the world leader in the design and implementation of case-mix based resource allocation systems and case-mix software such as Diagnosis Related Group (DRG)
groupers; abstracting, data collection and analysis software; and simulation modeling software, which is designed to facilitate the development, and implementation of DRG based resourcing and management systems. While the above is a 3M core competency, we work to continually improve integrated systems, drive better clinical outcomes, and grow both revenues and the bottom line. From document creation, to imaging, through chart management and on to revenue cycle management, 3M delivers exceptional value to our customers through our expert software and consulting services.

In this respect, what is the market share of your target market be it Health IT or Medical equipment market? What is the growth potential of this segment?
In the case of Health IT, 3M can vouch for a majority share when it comes to our core competency in Clinical Coding, Grouping and CaseMix methodology. We are also looking to penetrate the Indian market with our Electronic Document Management Solution (EDMS).

What changes or rather say advancement has happened over the years in your targeted health technology segment? What are the reasons for such change?
The dawn of the electronic and portability age has certainly had a positive impact on how healthcare is delivered all over the world. The perfect synergy between these two industries has complimented efforts in developing countries as they continue to find ways to deliver effective patient care in remote areas. This medium of delivery will also prove to be paramount as we face the challenges of population growth, an increased in chronic diseases and an aging population. At a micro level, the emerging Asian economy over the last 10 years has also had an impact on the evolution of healthcare technology. The emerging middle class and higher levels of disposable income have brought about increased expectations when it comes to the quality of delivery of healthcare. The other compelling argument is the notion of medical tourism. This exploding market and the need to stay competitive has forced healthcare organisations to improve on how they deliver care which is another reason why we are seeing an increased emphasis on Electronic Health Record (HER) in the region.

How the doctor-patient fraternity has been adopting the changes that health technologies have brought to modern healthcare?
We certainly have seen two generations of thought when it comes to how these two groups have adopted to the changes in health technology. There is certainly one generation that still believes in the novelty of the paper patient record, to view it in its physical form and the delivery of patient care in person. What is important here is that the Health IT industry needs to take the necessary steps to accommodate this evolving school of thought and not to single them out. The second group is one where both care givers and patients expect to have access to healthcare information at all times at the tap of an app on their smartphones. In such situations, necessary security, patient confidentiality concerns and health information portability regulations need to be given serious considerations and adopted accordingly. Aspects of which that are very much part and parcel of the present Health IT solution offerings.

In making the transition smooth, what steps you think a hospital or healthcare institute should take? Do you have a role to play in this?
The two aspects that 3M takes very seriously, as we experience this shift in healthcare delivery, is the concept of education and utive sponsorship. While it is important to have the necessary tools and solutions, it is just as important that empirical evidence of best practice is shared with healthcare organisations on success stories in the industry. This will then help facilitate a dialog between peers which in itself will serve as an education tool. Secondly, to further compliment an organisations efforts during this transition, it is paramount that such projects are championed and sponsored at the utive level. The latter has proved to be a key success factor in all 3M projects both the private and public healthcare sectors.

What is your view on Andhra Pradesh healthcare? What are the developments you have seen here in this space and what are the major issues of Andhra Pradesh healthcare?
Andhra Pradesh has recognised the burning need for a more organised healthcare system in the state. The Government is committed to providing affordable and equitable quality health care to all citizens of the state and reduces infant and maternal mortality and morbidity and the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. For many years now, through numerous initiatives, they have been making healthcare more affordable and thus more reachable through schemes like the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust. Other initiatives include measures to strengthen the health system from primary health service delivery system, mobile health vans with a medical officer, public health nurse and community health officer to strengthening the secondary hospitals with the necessary equipment, specialist doctors and trained nurses. Such commitment on reforms is the first big step towards improving healthcare for citizens, and that part seems to be in place with the governments plans. As far as the issues are concerned, healthcare is still an emerging sector, and it is important to get some of the basic elements correct right at the beginning to ensure effective scalability for the future. One such element is that of the Health Information Systems. There needs to be more effective data collection as the first step by the healthcare providers which can in turn be used for better patient outcomes. Even in cases today where the data is being collected effectively, the system of collection involves heavy utilisation of resources. Through technology, a lot of resources can be saved, and any resource saving in an already resource constrained industry can spiral into even more effective healthcare.

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