Imperative for Innovation in Healthcare

Healthcare is one among the industries which is given a significant or a higher share in a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and it is one of the major challenges which any country faces, under-developed nations in particular. There is a huge burden due to non-communicable diseases and population ageing in the developed nations, especially the European countries, whereas there is a dual burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases in the Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). While the governments are spending more and more on Healthcare, there have been challenges in addressing gaps, and bringing improvement in terms of increasing the value, productivity and quality of healthcare, all of which can be described as the outcomes. In addition to this, the developing countries and under-developed ones are struggling; even to provide affordable and accessible Healthcare for its people.There have been great advancements in medical technology since the start of the 20th century, and continuing in the present century. This is evident from the development of new technologies to detect diseases at an early stage, and even cure the diseases which were once thought to have no remedies. It has also been constantly emphasized and proven that innovations not only in technology, but also in the process and service delivery can improve the health indicators drastically and lead to achievement of targeted goals like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is especially true in the case of developing countries like India. There has been an overhaul of the health care delivery system in the grassroots level after the introduction of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). This and other programs and innovative schemes in healthcare delivery and service, have helped India to make a huge leap in improving some of the health indicators like Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Rate. The Conditional Cash Transfer schemes and Community Based Health Insurance schemes have been a major success in India. This helps to increase the demand generation for Public Health care, thereby improving the quality further, and helping the vulnerable sections of the society to avoid catastrophic health care expenditures when they seek expensive private healthcare


The average life expectancy at birth in the OECD nations which are economically stronger has reached 80, which is a remarkable increase in five decades. Even though the spending on health care ( in proportion to the GDP) is directly related to the improved health outcomes, other social determinants like education, environment, improved living conditions and lifestyle, also are major factors in determining the health status of a population. In spite of greater life expectancy achieved, there are huge gaps in meeting greater efficiency level and quality of health service. There are elusive disease burdens like Alzheimer's, Schizophrenia, Parkinson's and other neurological disorders, and cancers which need a convincing remedy, which can be achieved only through innovation. The diseases which have been quoted above can be called as diseases of affluence which have been discovered due to human longevity.Hence it is to be realized that, due to the greater challenges of the present state of healthcare, innovation plays a major role in achieving high standards of healthcare and to solve the problems which do not have answers currently. Innovation is the only answer which can improve the quality and efficiency, thereby raising the productivity of activities involved in health care. It is to be realized that countries which spend a higher proportion of their GDP (14% in U.S) or countries which spend a comparatively lower proportion of their GDP (4% In India), both need to have innovation as their indispensable tool in order to progress and achieve the best in healthcare, in case of U.S, and meet the MDG, in case of India.