Home healthcare is an emerging field in India, experts say
CHENNAI: Gone are the days when only pizzas and grocery got delivered at home. Now healthcare is being delivered at one's doorstep over a single phone call.
Home health services help adults, seniors, and pediatric patients who are recovering after a hospital stay or who need additional support to remain safely at home and avoid unnecessary hospitalization. With the country seeing a significant increase in life expectancy combined with changing disease patterns, home healthcare is rapidly emerging as an important field, say experts.
In a panel discussion organized by India Home Healthcare on the topic "Emerging and increasing need for quality home healthcare in India", diabetologist Dr Vijay Vishwanathan said that the concept is gradually catching up in India and helps decrease the direct and indirect medical costs of patients to a large extent.
"Especially in fields like diabetes that need chronic care, home healthcare is very beneficial as most diabetics have co morbidities like blindness, foot ulcers and wounds that take a long time to heal. Several complications can be avoided if there is a nurse who helps these patients with administering insulin, checking blood sugar etc," he said. The doctor added that at least 40 per cent of all diabetic patients were in desperate need for home healthcare.
Dr Sapna Mardi of Vasan Eye Care pointed out that home healthcare plays a major role in helping patients with ophthalmic issues such as glaucoma. "Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in India and the progressive ailment affects mostly people above 40 years. The problem with open angle glaucoma is it is asymptomatic and is detected only when it is too late. However, with home based healthcare, a simple torchlight test by a nurse can pick up the problem," she said. Nurses can also help in faster healing of surgical wounds and measure eye pressure regularly to detect glaucoma earlier.
One of the most important fields in which home healthcare is a boon is neurology, said Neuro surgeon Dr Ramanarayan. "Initially patients with neuro issues may suffer only from physical disability but it slowly progresses to mental disability. Through home healthcare proper support and patient centric care can be given to people suffering from stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's," he said.
Cardiologist Dr Pradeep Nayyar said that apart from providing specialized care, home healthcare also helps in giving preventive care. "Non-communicable diseases, especially cardiac issues, are the biggest problem India is facing. If people have diabetes and hypertension, through nurses who come home, patients can have regular checkups which would prevent cardiovascular problems," said the expert.
Mark Baiada of Bayada Home Healthcare in the US who moderated the discussion, said that home healthcare was much cheaper in India and helped cut down travelling costs for the patients and saved the trouble of waiting for hours to see the doctors.
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Home health services help adults, seniors, and pediatric patients who are recovering after a hospital stay or who need additional support to remain safely at home and avoid unnecessary hospitalization. With the country seeing a significant increase in life expectancy combined with changing disease patterns, home healthcare is rapidly emerging as an important field, say experts.
In a panel discussion organized by India Home Healthcare on the topic "Emerging and increasing need for quality home healthcare in India", diabetologist Dr Vijay Vishwanathan said that the concept is gradually catching up in India and helps decrease the direct and indirect medical costs of patients to a large extent.
"Especially in fields like diabetes that need chronic care, home healthcare is very beneficial as most diabetics have co morbidities like blindness, foot ulcers and wounds that take a long time to heal. Several complications can be avoided if there is a nurse who helps these patients with administering insulin, checking blood sugar etc," he said. The doctor added that at least 40 per cent of all diabetic patients were in desperate need for home healthcare.
Dr Sapna Mardi of Vasan Eye Care pointed out that home healthcare plays a major role in helping patients with ophthalmic issues such as glaucoma. "Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in India and the progressive ailment affects mostly people above 40 years. The problem with open angle glaucoma is it is asymptomatic and is detected only when it is too late. However, with home based healthcare, a simple torchlight test by a nurse can pick up the problem," she said. Nurses can also help in faster healing of surgical wounds and measure eye pressure regularly to detect glaucoma earlier.
One of the most important fields in which home healthcare is a boon is neurology, said Neuro surgeon Dr Ramanarayan. "Initially patients with neuro issues may suffer only from physical disability but it slowly progresses to mental disability. Through home healthcare proper support and patient centric care can be given to people suffering from stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's," he said.
Cardiologist Dr Pradeep Nayyar said that apart from providing specialized care, home healthcare also helps in giving preventive care. "Non-communicable diseases, especially cardiac issues, are the biggest problem India is facing. If people have diabetes and hypertension, through nurses who come home, patients can have regular checkups which would prevent cardiovascular problems," said the expert.
Mark Baiada of Bayada Home Healthcare in the US who moderated the discussion, said that home healthcare was much cheaper in India and helped cut down travelling costs for the patients and saved the trouble of waiting for hours to see the doctors.
source
Home healthcare is an emerging field in India, experts say
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