Suresh Kaneria

RPh USA

As a USA experienced Pharmacist and Software professional, while looking at Indian healthcare and the companies providing IT services for healthcare. It seems like there would be a big challenge for healthcare institutions, specially because most of them are first time Hospital System buyers or new to IT concept in a big ways, they have to realize that IT implementation is meaningless and even a burden, unless done in right direction. On the other end, software providers though offers as many modules of all kind, still there might be an underlying concerns that how better systems one can provide without any previous exposure to healthcare technology.

I'm aware that even some state govts implemented a healthcare systems. Most of information I find over network about trend in Indian hospital IT, it seems like its very different from what I used to work with it in USA, even though some people in Indian IT circle talking about fancy formats and implementation of PACS modules which are now widely available over the network. In IT sector many formats, concepts and tools are floated every day to promote IT, but on client side practicality, worthiness, and what difference it make from existing system should be count, that's why many hospitals in west either slow to implement new concepts or finding no reason to upgrade.

There was a few differences in past between Indian and western healthcare services, like equipments, financial, over looked pharmacy department, Clinical Software Systems. Now equipments and financial no longer a difference, but we still don't find pharmacy a important part even though now in India as much medicines available as in west, and many patients on some kinds of medicines for chronic conditions, so precise selection of drug regimen is vital, in USA it is tremendously important. Now Indian hospital may have HIS or HIMS, which may provide various modules includes entry forms, patient registration, inventory management, searching, and even biological waste management, maintenance records and pay role management. But how many provides patient focused clinical software systems, which checks for interactions, allergies, does clinical workflow managements, help manage patients clinical profiles, that short of things. In USA almost every hospital have pharmacy software, in fact its kind a basic need, but they may not have systems we talking in India. This key difference will persist, unless it corrected.

Actually in India, instead of blindly following west based on what we find over the network, we should leverage our own strength, like we have huge human resources which is even cheaper than software maintenance, such as accountants to make pay role doesn't coast much. We should focus on creating job, not loosing. In west most of time patients are alone without relatives on side and there is very little verbal communications, which is not the case in India, so any advanced patients identification (barr code) systems doesn't make much sense. We should adopt what's good from west, and even be bold enough to innovate critical functionalities which is not even exist in modern world. In healthcare IT, its not about what as an IT provider we can make or how many modules we offers, it about how best we undertand healthcare and how best we improve patients life.

Now India getting medical tourism, because of cost difference, most of tourism may be NRI or who don't have insurance in west. India can compete on quality services by implementing Clinical Software Systems, which can even help more in India because of less clinical focused supporting staff then west, which could be able to provide competing services. Now Indians are enough educated, so healthcare professionals can be more open to patients and consider educating them about their allergies, importance of dosing schedules, and other measures. There is need for the hospital system which keep audit trail of clinical changes made. Not just having clinical software but western type clinical training to use system and deliver quality productivity is also a crucial part.

Emerging economies need to realise that every thing is not great about westen healthcare, its get so complex, now its unmanagiable and impracticle for majority of peoples thats why its need reform. They better develop best suited practical healthcare system. Its true that western Clinical software system may not fit in India, but as a reference you can find relevant information at www.skanhealthcaresystems.info which may provide more detailed information about current trend and systems available. To stay on top in fast moving competitive market, it always worth it to meticulously invest in innovation in right direction. I hope this article provide any good thought about future development, hospital software selection process, avoid reimplementation. Time and innovation is everything in on the edge competitive global market.

Suresh Kaneria, R. Ph., USA

www.skanhealthcaresystems.info