Need for quality healthcare at home sees an upward scale in India

Bangalore, 26th September 2014:  India is seeing a significant increase in the life expectancy combined with changes in patterns of diseases affecting the population. This will lead to an increase in the number of people affected by chronic conditions which does not require hospitalization and quality healthcare at home will eventually become mandatory. India Home Healthcare, one of the leading home healthcare providers in India organized a panel discussion on the “EMERGING AND INCREASING NEED FOR QUALITY HOME HEALTHCARE IN INDIAâ€.

India has the second largest geriatric population in the world. According to a United Nations Population report, population with the age limit of 60 and above in India will increase to 300 million by 2050; this means one in every five Indian will be above the age of 60. Of the 300 million over-60s, 200 million are likely to be suffering from chronic ailments. Already, non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer cause around 50% of all deaths in India.

Highlighting the transformation that is required in the healthcare sector, the panel discussed ways and means to improvise the patterns of healthcare services offered at the comfort of a patients’ home.

Mr. J Mark Baiada, Founder of BAYADA Home healthcare, U.S brought in his 39 years of expertise in the home healthcare field to the panel.

Eminent doctors from the city including Dr. Dominic Benjamin, Geriatrician – Baptist Hospital; Dr. Mathew Varghese, Psychiatrist – NIMHAMS, Dr. Santanu Chattopadhyay, CEO – Nationwide Hospitals, Dr. Ajay Shetty, Urologist, Sakra World Hospital and Mary Jose, Director of Nursing – Apollo Hospitals.

Speaking at the panel discussion, Mr. J. Mark Baiada, Founder – Bayada Home Healthcare quoted, “The need for home healthcare is growing at a steady pace owing to various factors like time, money, comfort and the like. Over the years we have observed patients recover remarkably faster after availing healthcare at home. What one needs to understand is that home healthcare and hospital care go hand in hand. Organized home healthcare industry will go a long way in shaping the sector in India in the coming years. Home health care in India is estimated to be worth 12,600 crores market while the global home healthcare market is expected to cross 19 lakhs crores by 2018â€.

Dr Santanu Chattopadhyay, Founder & CEO – NationWide, said, “NationWide’s objective has been always to be a holistic healthcare provider. Our partnership with India Home Health Care brings together complementary synergies – NationWide’s high-quality medical expertise and IHHC’s comprehensive home nursing services. We feel that customers will benefit greatly from the combined, doctor-led multidisciplinary home health care services we can provide them.”

Dr. Mathew Varghese, Psychiatrist – NIMHAMS quoted, “Critical illness or an accident can have a huge impact on someone’s life, both physically and emotionally. Most people find it difficult to recover emotionally even though they have recovered physically. Attention to detail and exclusive care in such cases can only be provided by a good care-taker at home. Home healthcare undoubtedly becomes a blessing in disguises to both the patient and the familyâ€.

“As the population of the elderly is on the rise along with several chronic diseases affecting them in various patterns, quality healthcare at home is the need of the hour. Maintaining proper health post 45 years of age becomes a vital way forward to ensure long and healthy life. Quality health care at home tends to the small yet crucial needs of the elderlyâ€, added Dr. Dominic Benjamin, Geriatrician – Baptist Hospital

Also present were the medical fraternity – general physicians, physiotherapists and nurses, who took back the message with them.  The discussion gave opportunity to the audience to interact with Mark Baiada and understand that quality care at home is essential for a speedy recovery.

India Home Healthcare recently tied up with Bangalore based NationWide Primary Healthcare Services Pvt Ltd recently for specialized home healthcare services. Through this tie up Indian Home Health Care (IHHC) will increase coverage to patients more efficiently and effectively across Bangalore.