Healthcare goes online

With everything going online, more and more people are scrawling the net to find, consult and connect with doctors.  The digitized solutions offered now range from online access to medical records, post-consultation care and scheduling appointments.

In the first quarter of 2013, nearly Rs.57 crore was invested in healthcare services companies and by the end of this year, over 50,000 clinics nationwide would be using customized, digitized technology.  And, the demand for this digitization comes from patients themselves. Lately, the digital world has seen a steady stem of websites, being the intermediary between patients and doctors, earning dual incomes.  Mocdoc, a Chennai based one year old venture allows patients to book appointments, alerts on diagnostics, e-consultations and access to patients records. They charge hospitals between Rs.50,000-70,000 for a patient management system and patients between Rs.50-100 per month. Another online portal, DocSuggest helps find suitable doctors and schedule appointments. They charge doctors between Rs.100-300 each appointment and the patients are offered this service, free of cost. Practo too allows doctor-patient connectivity, digital records, billing and reminders. It is not just online now, healthcare services are available instantly through a click of a button, even on your smartphone.

SmartRx, a Banglaore based company connects patients with surgeons and doctors through an e-consult service app on phones. And, this is just the start, with more ventures emerging daily linking healthcare services and medical tests to mobile phones and apps. Your doctor is not so formidable and unapproachable, anymore.