India’s health care system is at an intersection. While urban centers face serious decrease in world -class hospitals, rural areas, home for more than 65% population, medical infrastructure and personnel. The traditional approach to the manufacture of brick-and-mortar facilities in every remote corner is not only taking time, but also economically unstable. To bridge this difference, India has a unique opportunity to jump in future using Artificial Intelligence (AI), remote patient monitoring and digital health care technologies.
The approach is originally aligned with national initiatives such as Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-Abhim), Pradhan Mantri John Arogya Yojana (PMJY), and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Taking advantage of technology, India can achieve its health care goals rapidly, more efficiently and more equally.
There is a history of leaving the stages of development to adopt state -of -the -art solutions in India. The way the nation sidelined Landline Telephony to become a global leader in mobile connectivity and digital payments, it can now bypass the growth path, the slow, older path of development of health care. Instead of mimicking the projection of the West, the infrastructure for-archaic systems and finally the infrastructure for digital health-India can jump into the age of AI-powered digital health care directly.
Here is how AI and digital technologies can change health care distribution in India:
1) Distance patient management: Distance patient monitoring (RPM) technologies can revolutionize health care in rural areas. Wearable equipment and smartphone-based health apps can track significant signs such as blood pressure, glucose levels and oxygen saturation in real time. For example:
- AI-operated wearballs may alert health care workers about early signs of chronic diseases, reducing hospital visit.
- Mobile app integrated with ABDM may allow patients to consult doctors from distance through telemedicine platforms such as essennivani.
These devices not only protect time and resources, but also strengthen patients to control their health.
2) AI-Powered Diagnosis: AI can bring advanced clinical capabilities to the corners of the most remote India. For example:
- Portable AI-competent devices can do ultrasound, ECGS, and even detect diseases such as tuberculosis or cervical cancer without the need of skilled experts.
- The smartphone-based AI can analyze skin lesions or eye scans with accuracy compared to trained doctors.
Such innovation can significantly increase the clinical capacity of health and welfare centers (HWCs), a major component of PM-Abeem.
3. Future -staging health care and disease monitoring: AI algorithm can analyze a large amount of health data to predict the outbreak of the disease and improve resource allocation. For example:
- The AI model can use PMJAY claim data to identify patterns and predict outbreaks of diseases like dengue or malaria.
- Predictive Analytics can help customize the distribution of drugs and medical supplies in rural areas.
By integrating AI into disease monitoring systems, India can respond more effectively to public health emergency conditions.
Health care results are deeply affected by the social determinants of health (SDOH), such as income, education, housing and clean water. AI and digital technologies can help address these factors in India:
- Income and education: AI-operated health literacy programs can provide personal health education through low cost smartphones, strengthen individuals to make informed decisions.
- Access to resources: The future analytics can identify the underscribed areas and direct the allocation of resources such as drugs, vaccines and community health workers.
- Housing and hygiene: The AI model can help in the distance monitoring of air and water quality, identifying environmental risks and directing public health intervention.
By integrating SDOH in health care strategies, India can achieve more just and permanent health results. In the United States, home-based health care has provided rich dividends rich in AI, distance patient surveillance and telehealth deployment. For example:
- Chronic Disease Management: RPM devices have reduced hospital redmission by 38%for older conditions like heart failure and diabetes.
- Telehealth expansion: AI -operated telehaalth platforms have enabled millions of Americans to use care during Cov -19 epidemic, proving that virtual care can be both effective and scalable.
- Cost Savings: Home-based care models have reduced the cost of health care by 20–30% compared to traditional hospital-based care.
These successes demonstrate technology-operated domestic health care ability to improve results, reduce costs and increase the patient’s satisfaction-a model that India can adapt to its unique needs.
AI and digital technologies can directly support India’s major health care programs:
- Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM): ABDM enables health records, teleconsectations and uninterrupted sharing of e-pharmacy by creating an integrated digital health ecosystem. AI can increase this ecosystem by providing personal health recommendations and by automating administrative functions.
- PM-Abhim: AI-operated diagnostic kits can make HWCs more effective, which can reduce expensive tertiary care requirement.
- PMJAY: AI can analyze the data of claims to detect fraud, improve efficiency, and ensure that the benefits can reach those who need them the most.
To make this vision a reality, India needs a phased approach:
1. Short-term (2024-2026): deploy AI-Saksham Diagnostic Kit in 50,000 HWC and train health care workers in using these devices.
2. Mid-term (2027-2030): 70% of 70% expand telemedicine adoption in rural areas and integrate AI into disease monitoring systems.
3. Long-term (2031-2035): Get universal health coverage through a fully digital, AI-powered health care ecosystem.
While the capacity is immense, there are challenges to address:
- Digital divide: Cheap smartphones, better internet connectivity, and digital literacy programs can ensure that rural population benefits from these technologies.
- Data privacy: ABDM’s attention on safe, consent-based data sharing provides a strong base for the patient’s information to protect the patient’s information.
- Human touch: AI will be enhanced, not replaced, health care workers. Community health workers such as Ashas will play an important role supported by AI Tool.
By embracing AI and digital technologies, India can change its health care system without waiting for the development of decades of infrastructure. An investment in AI-operated health care is not just a technological upgradation-it is a moral imperative for all Indians to ensure similar access to quality care.
With correct investment and policy assistance, India can redefine global health care innovation. India can imagine universal health coverage rapidly, cheap and more effectively, except for the infrastructure mesh and jumping directly into the AI era. The future of health care is here, and is ready to lead India.
This article Sreram Mullankandy, Senior Director – Product Management and Clinical Quality, Elumina Health Care Inc. Has been written by
