Diagnostic services in India: an untapped potential

With the second-largest population in the world, India also has a massive disease burden which has barred it from enjoying its demographic dividend optimally.

To identify and treat this, the diagnostic sector in the country must play a greater role. About a decade or two ago, it was quite difficult to easily access diagnostic services, especially services related to radiology etc. There were fewer labs and in the pre-digital era, patients faced hassles in getting the required tests done. With the emergence of digital communication and evolution of the corporate sector towards the turn of the millennium, the diagnostic industry also witnessed a shift. A number of organized corporate diagnostic chains entered the market. This has not only led to the standardization of this sector and the pricing of tests, but also an improvement in the overall quality of the services. The diagnostic sector is witnessing rapid growth, but there are still several challenges.

To begin with, there is a shortage of qualified service professionals such as technicians to meet the market needs. India must urgently train more people that can be absorbed in the industry. The patient to professional ratio leaves much to be desired. The higher cost of tests especially radiology services like Ultrasound or MRI/CT-Scan is also a major roadblock. A leading reason is that most of the diagnostic machines are imported from other countries. This not only makes them much more expensive, but also results in higher maintenance and operating costs. If the machines develop any fault then getting them repaired becomes a costly and time-consuming process due to complexities of overseas warranties and unavailability of maintenance personnel locally.