An Analysis of Cardiology in India: Current Trends and Future

by Indiahealthcare Tourism India Healthcare Tourism

Capitalising on its highly skilled and trained professionals, India has steadily risen in the ranks of premium healthcare service providers in the world. In particular, a number of internationally respected heart specialists in the country have made India as one of the top destinations for cardiologic healthcare services. Further, home-grown technological advancements have made it possible to treat, at very affordable rates, heart conditions such as myocardial infarction, irregular heartbeat, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and abnormal cardiac rhythm. Cardiology hospitals in India see a steady influx of tourists from United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, etc. Fortis and Apollo, regarded as one of the best hospitals in the world across various medical fields, use specific programs that take into consideration the cultural and ethnic background of the patients to provide a ‘home away from home’ stay, they employ specialised teams trained to make the patient comfortable during their stay.

It is important to note that as much as globalisation and the increase in international tourism have contributed to the exponential growth of this sector, there have also been several notable domestic factors that have contributed to this growth.

• An increase in urbanisation have also contributed to an increase in problems associated with modern living. No longer are the biggest killers communicable diseases like smallpox or tuberculosis, but lifestyle diseases such as Ischemic heart disease and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In fact, Ischemic heart disease has seen a rise of 49.8% as the number one reported cause of death between 2007 to 2017.

• An estimated 9.2 million productive years of life were lost to cardiovascular disease in India in 2000, a number that is expected to increase to nearly 18 million by 2030 (10 times the rate in the U.S.). The government recognises the epidemic of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and is taking steps to address the problem. Among talks about increased tax on the three “S”s (sugar, salt, and smoke) to actions such as increased investments for hospitals and colleges, variousgovernment initiatives and policy support have been implemented.

• Investments from the private sector into the healthcare industry in general but in the cardiology sector of that industry in particular has grown over the years. Many big players such as Fortis, Apollo, Yashoda Hospitals have doubled their investments into the sector and are setting up state of the art cardiology centers across the country. Not staying limited to Delhi since it’s the capital, setting up the best cardiology hospital in big metropolitan cities in India such as Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata is priority for both the public and private sector – the Nanavati Hospital is easily the best cardiology hospital in Mumbai; the Vijaya Hospital is easily the best cardiology hospital in Chennai; the Desun Hospital is easily in the best cardiology hospital in Kolkata – but these cities, and others, need more centres to adequately handle the rising tide of patients.

Streamlined processes, advanced technologies, state-of-the-art infrastructures, specialised & interdisciplinary care, along with highly knowledgeable and skilled doctors, supported by a thoroughly trained and compassionate staff makes India one of the premium destinations for cardiologic healthcare service providers in the world. However, challenges imposed by a developing economy also exert a significant influence upon the practice of cardiology in India. Many government hospitals do not have percutaneous coronary intervention services and still employ thrombolysis with either tissue plasminogen activator or streptokinase. Clearly, an open collaboration between private and public stakeholders is the need of the hour.

With consistent efforts by the government to strengthen the sector and incredible growth opportunities across different segments, supported by increasing awareness and changing lifestyles, India is set to become a global hub for cardiology services in the coming years.