Digital healthcare

PwC’s GovTech team provides strategic consulting and advisory services for digital healthcare in the Government sector. The team’s vast experience in areas of healthcare, technology and Government policies helps in conceptualising and managing the implementation and deployment of various digital solutions, including public health insurance information systems, health information management systems, EHS and health data management systems. The outcomes of various digital health initiatives executed till date were remarkable, resulting in improved healthcare access, efficient service delivery and better health outcomes.

PwC’s Microsoft team understands the importance of managing customer relationships for healthcare providers. The Microsoft Dynamics Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can assist hospitals to improve patient engagement, streamline processes and increase revenue. By utilising Microsoft CRM, healthcare providers can manage patient data effectively and provide personalised care. Additionally, the team can assist in automating manual processes, reducing administrative burden and improving the workforce efficiency. Moreover, it can facilitate analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing healthcare providers to gain insights into patient behaviour and preferences, as well as identify areas for process improvement. Thus, adopting Microsoft CRM can help hospitals provide better care and experiences for their patients, while also improving their operational and financial outcomes.

PwC’s healthcare D&A team assists their clients to become game-changers in the healthcare industry by providing them with data-driven insights to make decisions and improve their services.

D&A can provide numerous benefits for healthcare providers, including improved operational efficiency, optimised revenue streams, 360-degree patient/doctor view and enhanced patient–doctor experience with collaboration between providers and payers. Healthcare providers can leverage advanced analytics to optimise resource use, identify inefficiencies and reduce claim denials.

The team also helps healthcare providers and payers to improve their services by analysing patient feedback and improving patient experience. Analytics can also be utilised to automate data complaint handling, and even provide remote patient-monitoring services.

• Healthcare insight platform (hospital and supply chain management, Patient 360): The healthcare insight platform provides data-driven insights to enhance decision making through BI visualisation.
• Healthcare data consortium: Data consortium platform helps drive advanced analytics AI/ML use cases on data repository for research purposes.
• Data interoperability: Interoperability in healthcare platform provides timely and secure access, integration and use of electronic health data so that it can be used to optimise health outcomes for patients and practitioners.
• Data platform: Data platform acts as a data lakehouse to multiple downstream application holding the data points as a single source of truth

As part of the IPA practice offerings, we help clients throughout their value chain, from strategy to execution. This includes process assessment from an automation perspective, implementation using various technologies like RPA, optical character recognition (OCR), natural language processing (NLP), and enabling clients to set up their automation governance/CoE and conduct automation audit. This not only applies to business processes but also to audit/compliance controls.

Intelligent automation has widely been leveraged across various industries. If you are yet to embark on this automation journey, then we can help you do so with traditional RPA to start with. In case you have already automated a few use cases, then we can discuss and exchange ideas like

• citizen-led automation
• scale at speed
• conversational automation
• cognitive automation

With the increasing threat of cyberattacks and data breaches, it’s essential for healthcare providers to invest in cybersecurity analytics implementation.

PwC’s cybersecurity for healthcare approach aligns business and security capabilities to navigate cybersecurity risks using robust strategy and governance frameworks. The service offerings include privacy and security architecture, threat and vulnerability management, identity and access management, emerging technology security, next-gen security operations centre (SOC) tools, security strategy and governance and incident response. By leveraging PwC’s cybersecurity for healthcare solutions, healthcare providers gain valuable insights into their security landscape, identify vulnerabilities, protect patient data, and prioritise investments to effectively manage and mitigate cyber risks in their business ecosystem.

• Threat and vulnerability management: Manage digital infrastructure attack surface by identifying gaps, exploiting design flaws and assisting in remedial actions to secure the ecosystem.
• Data security and privacy: Know your data, the handlers of data, protect exfiltration and mitigate penalties by complying to geographical, sectoral, business and regulatory mandates.
• Cloud security: Integrate cloud governance, security and compliance into transformation. Build confidence in the cloud journey across the enterprise.
• OT security: Embed security controls into the design fabric of heterogeneous environments for IoT, OT/SCADA/ICS, IIoT.
• Regulation and standards: Based on regulatory requirements and industry leading standards (NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001 ISMS, etc.,), we perform cybersecurity assessments to design or enhance the existing security posture.
• SOC monitoring as a service: Ability to detect, manage and respond to security incidents by leveraging 24x7x365 cyber protection centre (CPC) and active threat monitoring services, endpoint detection response, etc.

PwC’s Patient 360 Degree platform is a constant digital companion for patients which enables them to connect with their healthcare providers directly through their mobile device, tablet or computer. The platform keeps the patients engaged outside the doctor’s chambers with devices used regularly by patients, thus reducing the accessibility barrier. 

Using Patient 360 Degree, a patient can self-schedule appointments, review past medical records/reports, study health educational materials, provide feedback through surveys and much more.

Teleconsultation is also part of the platform, which enables a holistic doctor–patient virtual communication. With the intelligent nudge engine, intuitive notifications are sent to patients, depending on the past data footprint and personalised needs. With personalised reminders, the platform enables better compliance in terms of treatments and follow ups.

The medicine delivery and home care services help patients in receiving care at their doorsteps, while a remote monitoring system helps doctors/experts to monitor patient parameters from different locations. Moreover, intelligent chatbots keep patients always connected with their caregiver, and improve the efficiency of care providers by reducing the communication gap.

With the patient-centric experience of this platform, all hospitals using this solution have seen a paradigm shift in patient preferences towards digital platforms than any other traditional mode of communication and helped in improving the overall patient experience and achieving higher satisfaction index.

• Cloud assessment services
• Managed cloud services

• ERP services: These include cloud-based SaaS or infra on cloud with middleware for connection.
• Core financials and supply chain solutions
• HIS integration framework: This is an integration framework that is independent of HIS application and can support more than 90 scenarios relevant for healthcare service provider. The same can be rolled out on plug and play mode for any implementation that involves integration between HIS and ERP system.
• Financial reconciliation between HIS and ERP: Rule-based auto-correction and re-processing of error and system-driven reconciliation between HIS and ERP ensure that both the transaction system (HIS) and reporting/accounting system (ERP) are in sync to support real-time analysis and reporting.
• Doctors’ payout solution: Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution to map the multiple doctor’s payout models and integrate the doctor’s payout process with ERP. Use payables invoice hold and approval to enforce control and reduce manual effort
• Master Data Management (MDM) solution: PaaS solution supports enterprise master data management, specifically for item and service master. Business rules to ensure required compliance and approvals are present in system before any master data is approved for transaction. Rule-based item description is present to capture all information to facilitate downstream patient care operations. Service master captures details of tariffs applicable for the patients.
• Financial reporting and dashboard: A framework is established to consolidate data generated from transactional system (HIS) and accounting system (ERP) to generate a key performance indicator (KPI) dashboard to monitor and plan the top-line drivers , track and optimise bottom-line drivers and establish control over work capital drivers.
• Revenue cycle management: This system manages both cash and patient-sponsored scenarios to record the revenue and collection and track the aging for outstanding collection. It offers daily collection report, and revenue analysis based on different specialty/subspecialty service categories.
• Third Party Administrator (TPA) integration and application
• Unified procurement and supplier collaboration: The solution offers Centralized procurement and sourcing ,procurement shared service. automates PO creation based on pricing agreement and enables supplier registration and advance shipment notice.

• Business process automation: Automates processes like claims processing, inventory management (indent creation, indent to PO), patient billing and recon.
• Chatbot: Enables appointment scheduling and patient feedback management.

3D printing technique that uses bioinks and biomaterials mixed with cells to create living tissue models. 3D bioprinting is utilised in tissue engineering, bioengineering, materials science, pharmaceutical development, and drug validation. Clinical settings like skin and bone grafts, implants, and organs are currently the focus of bioprinting research. The market is concentrated due to the presence of various small and large players.

Market share in Indian healthcare space?

The 3D printing market in India is gaining momentum, with efforts being made in academic and research labs like IISc, IITs, NITs, SCTIMST, and universities. In 2022, the market was valued at 92.34 million US Dollars, with a forecast of 20.33% growth by 2028. In July 2022, a state-of-the-art 3D printing facility was opened in Bengaluru. In 2022, a desktop and industrial 3D printer range was introduced in India. In 2021, a large format range of metal 3D printers with a high build rate for cost-effective manufacturing was launched.

Future of 3D Bioprinting

The rapid advancement of bioprinting technology, specifically three-dimensional bioprinting, has the potential to address numerous issues in areas like healthcare.

• Successful transplantation of functional bladders made from patients' own cells using bio printed tissue has been achieved in the human body.
• 3D bioprinting could eliminate the need for organ donors by printing personalised human organs using patients' own cells or stem cells as a base.
• Bioprinting technology has the potential to revolutionise disease prevention and treatment, enhancing medical care efficiency and enhancing overall patient care.

The term artificial intelligence (AI) describes computer programs that are able to carry out sophisticated operations that were previously limited to human performance, such as problem-solving, thinking, and decision-making. With the help of AI, healthcare organisations can utilise algorithms for better clinical decisions and enhance the quality of the patient experiences they provide. AI as a tool is divided into different subsets, including deep learning and machine learning. 

Scope in Indian healthcare space:

India's high-quality clinical and engineering capabilities make it an ideal resource for AI, according to a MarketsandMarkets report. The AI in healthcare market is expected to grow from USD 43.9 million in 2018 to USD 202.4 million by 2023 at a cagr of 36.1%. Indian healthcare industry is experiencing growth in AI-based solutions due to increased demand, data availability, and investments from providers and technology companies, aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.

Benefits of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare:

• Robot assisted surgery: Integrating AI into robotic systems to assist surgeons in performing precise and minimally invasive surgeries.
• Medical imaging analysis: AI driven tools for interpreting and analysing medical images, improving diagnostic accuracy.
• Genomic analysis: analysing genetic data using AI to understand disease susceptibility and customise treatment plans.
• Healthcare chatbots: AI powered chatbots for instant responses to patient queries, appointment scheduling, and basic medical advice. 

Telemedicine is the exchange of medical information from one location to another using electronic communication, which improves patient health status. Telemedicine has multiple applications and can be used for different services, which includes wireless tools, email, two-way video, smartphones, and other methods of telecommunication’s technology. 

Scope in Indian healthcare space:

Telemedicine in India has many benefits for patients and healthcare providers alike. Telemedicine allows patients with limited mobility access to healthcare services. Telemedicine in India has significantly improved healthcare accessibility, particularly in remote areas. It has been instrumental in managing chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine became crucial for virus management. The Indian government promotes telemedicine and evolves regulatory frameworks. 

Future of telemedicine:

• Telerehabilitation: Conducting remote rehabilitation sessions for physical therapy and post-surgery recovery.
• Health monitoring devices: Integration of wearable devices for real time tracking of vital signs and health parameters.
• Teletherapy for mental health: Offering remote mental health consultations and therapy sessions through telemedicine platforms. 
• Global access to healthcare: Breaking down geographical barriers, allowing patients in remote areas to access medical expertise.  

Augmented reality and virtual reality are reality technologies that either enhance or replace a real-life environment with a simulated one. AR in healthcare enhances medical procedures and diagnostics by superimposing digital objects onto the real-world environment. Users can point a camera-equipped device at an area of interest to see digital elements. VR is used to treat nervous system disorders and relieve anxiety, requiring special equipment like helmets, 3D goggles, headsets, and gloves.

What it does in Indian healthcare space?

India's global startup hub status is gaining momentum, with the government fostering a digital ecosystem. Indian startups are implementing VR for procedures and assisting patients with autism, pain relief, and anxiety. The Indian Augmented Reality market is expected to grow at 38.29% by 2027, with over a hundred startups working in the field. This growth could transform India's health landscape. India's healthcare industry is poised for a healthier, more connected future with the potential of AR and VR technologies, revolutionising telemedicine, surgical precision, medical education, and patient rehabilitation.

The future of AR and VR in Indian healthcare:

• Surgical precision: AR overlays can guide surgeons with real-time information, leading to more accurate procedures and reduced complications. VR aids in preoperative planning and rehearsal.
• Medical education evolution: AR and VR will further enrich medical education, offering an immersive learning experience. Medical students can explore intricate anatomical structures and witness surgeries as if they were present in the operating room.
• Rehabilitation breakthroughs: AR and VR will play a pivotal role in innovative rehabilitation programs. Patients can engage in personalised exercises and therapies from the comfort of their homes.

Digital twin technology in healthcare involves creating a virtual replica or model of a physical entity, including a patient, medical device, or healthcare facility. This digital twin is connected to its real-world counterpart through sensors, data collection, and analytics, allowing for real-time monitoring, analysis, and simulation. Digital twin technology in healthcare has the potential to revolutionise the industry by enabling more personalised and efficient care delivery, ultimately leading to better patient experiences and outcomes.

Market share in global healthcare space

Digital twin in healthcare market was valued at US$ 1.6 billion in 2023. It is projected to advance at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 67% and reach around US$ 21.1 billion by the end of 2028*.

Large number of players are operating in the fragmented digital twin healthcare market.

Benefits of digital twin technology

Digital twin technology in healthcare offers a wide range of benefits that can significantly improve patient care, operational efficiency, and overall healthcare outcomes. Some of the key benefits include:

• Personalised medicine: Digital twins can be used to create virtual models of individual patients, allowing healthcare providers to tailor treatment plans and interventions based on specific patient characteristics and needs.
• Predictive analytics: By analysing real-time data from digital twins, healthcare providers can predict and prevent potential health issues, optimise treatment strategies, and improve patient outcomes.
  
• Remote patient monitoring: Digital twins enable continuous monitoring of patients outside of traditional healthcare settings, allowing for early detection of health issues and timely interventions.
• Surgical planning: Surgeons can use digital twins to simulate and plan complex surgical procedures, leading to more precise and successful surgeries with reduced risks.
• Healthcare facility management: Digital twins can be used to optimise the design, layout, and operations of healthcare facilities, improving resource allocation, workflow efficiency, and patient experience.
• Training and education: Healthcare professionals can use digital twins for training, simulation, and education purposes, allowing for hands-on practice in a safe and controlled environment.
• Epidemic management: Digital twins can help control the spread of a pandemic like Covid-19. Since these technologies have all kinds of data, including social gathering places, population density, the number of healthcare facilities, and more, they can help medical professionals make informed decisions.