Medix’s Neeloy Roy Chowdhury on healthcare trends in the post-COVID times

Adgully is back with a new edition of its annual feature – TRENDING NOW – where we present the strategies and views of a cross-section of industry leaders as they go about reclaiming lost time and market opportunities and build for a stronger future, armed with the lessons of the pandemic period.

Over the last few weeks, Trending Now has been bringing insights from industry leaders on how their organisations are geared up to seize the opportunities in 2022, break through the Covid disruptions and find growth and remain resilient.

In conversation with Adgully, Neeloy Roy Chowdhury, Head of Sales and Partnerships India, Medix Global, speaks about the emerging trends in the Healthcare sector in 2022, the post-pandemic road to recovery, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and more.

What are the trends that you expect to dominate in your sector in 2022?

We shall continue to see an evolution of health and wellness V2, with even more reliance on preventive healthcare, personalisation, a combination of digital and human interventions and increasing breadth and reach of the Indian healthcare ecosystem and its partners, which have also been our focus at Medix. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, innovative start-ups, and applications of new age technologies for improving health outcomes are the key drivers of these trends.

What are the challenges and new opportunities that you see emerging in the year ahead?

The continuing challenges in doctor to population ratio and the sheer geographical spread of India are great opportunities for the healthcare industry in India in 2022 and beyond. As the focus shifts from COVID-19 to other diseases, which have been more or less “pent-up” for the past 2 years, there are clear gaps for healthcare providers for innovative solutions across devices, technologies, and consulting. Acknowledgment and the need for health insurance, mental wellness, a shift towards preventing disease rather than treating it and personalised health journeys are areas to tap into.

How is this year’s turnout expected to be in this sector as compared to the last two years? How strong will the recovery be?

Over the last two years, healthcare has been focussed mainly on COVID-19 and the resulting response across multiple waves and vaccination drives. We are already seeing recovery signs in terms of the activities under India’s Digital Mission and the resulting digital transformation, acceptance of remote consultation, focus of telecom companies and other partners in offering healthcare experiences, rise of unique start-ups and a reset and recovery of the other ecosystem constituents and partners. With growing awareness and reliance on better health across India, it is expected to have accelerated growth.

What are the changes that have happened in your sector in the last two years?

As mentioned before, acceptance of online consultations and transactions, personalised experience, digital transformation and mindset of stakeholders, and an amalgamation of Information and Communication Technology in the healthcare space for better outcomes and experience, are the major trends seen.

How strong will this sector’s growth be compared to the last two years as well as the pre-Covid period?

Healthcare is one of the few verticals, besides telecom and e-commerce, that has been buoyant in the COVID period – the organic growth in the pre-COVID times has metamorphosed into exponential growth thereafter. The devastation and toll of the pandemic has resulted in people in India and worldwide to embrace health resilience and vigilance. Preventive and personalised approach, access to worldwide resources, government initiatives and industry activities are combining to show ongoing growth and innovation in the healthcare vertical.