The focus in the New Normal has shifted significantly to preventive measures in healthcare by way of early assessments to solve potential health issues. This also positively impacts affordability and gives a boost to self- care measures. The industry is being helped in this by advances in technology which are being used to save lives. Ganesh Prasad Founder, MD, & CEO, GenWorks Health, says our focus is to provide such technology to every physician across India and build awareness about these solutions. GenWorks Health is a Wipro GE invested company with direct presence in 27 states and 120 locations. GenWorks was born to create access and affordable care in all 635 districts of India where access to healthcare technology and training are minimal.
In association with THE WEEK, GenWorks is bringing out a series about innovative solutions to Healthcare that are transforming lives and perceptions about healthcare.
Respiratory ailments took the biggest hit during the Covid 19 outbreak. In a world severely impacted with the widespread prevalence of the deadly five respiratory diseases namely: COPD, Asthma, Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infections, TB and Lung Cancer, the challenge has been exacerbated with Covid related complications which not only affect the lung during the course of the infection, but continue to afflict many of the recovered patients with abnormal lung functions. It necessitates frequent visits to hospitals to undergo tedious procedures for the redressal of these complications and this is strictly passe in the New Normal which calls for a more responsible mindset.
The traditional methods of testing respiratory ailments are the Spirometry; required to establish a clinical diagnosis of conditions like COPD and Asthma. Using spirometry avoids misdiagnosis and assists in evaluating the severity of airflow limitation. In addition to the Spirometry is the Pulmonary Function tests (PFTs) required for the diagnosis and differentiation of many respiratory diseases like restrictive and obstructive lung disorders, diagnosis of exercise induced asthma, differentiation of chronic bronchitis from Bronchial Asthma (BA).
According to a study on the burgeoning problem of lung diseases in India by Indiapend.com Spirometry—the gold standard test to diagnose COPD is underutilised in India due to inefficiency of certain medics. Moreover, COPD is not screened by the national non communicable disease program.
It has been firmly established that respiratory health and wellness can be improved by strengthening the immunization, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of particular diseases.; all of which would require adequate infrastructure and trained personnel. This has fortunately been foreseen and the wheels set in motion. One of the global pioneers in respiratory treatment is Vyaire Medical that came into being as a singular company in 2016 but has been providing respiratory solutions since 1950 when two pioneering medical innovators from the US and Germany began collaborations to develop the first complete laboratory for pulmonary diagnosis and testing. Today they are a global presence in the manufacture and marketing of more than 27,000 products for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of respiratory conditions.
GenworksHealth has chosen to be at the forefront of the battle against respiratory diseases in India by partnering with the globally acclaimed solution providers and pulmonologists/clinicians: The Vyaire Medical solutions . It has launched a new vertical on Pulmonary Care, by offering an extensive range of state-of-art, US-FDA / CE approved portfolio of respiratory diagnostics solution – right from the hand-held, point-of-care screening devices on Asthma, COPD, exhaled CO, RPM etc, to the essential and advanced diagnostic solutions like Spirometry, PFT, diffusion study with DLCO, Body-plethysmograph (body-box), to cardio-pulmonary exercise systems.
Support from doctors about the Vyaire solutions is forthcoming. In the words of Dr Mateenuddin S, MBBS, DRTD, DNB, Chief consultant; Pulmonology, Sunshine hospital, Hyderabad.“I have found Vyaire respiratory diagnostics ( PFT) equipment pretty sturdy and fairly accurate. I really appreciate the technical backup/service backup given to me promptly by Vyaire people.”
In a recent article for a leading daily, the CEO of Niti Aayog, stated… “ we need to harness the power of digital health as a critical enabler for transforming the health system. India must use technology to leapfrog and become a model for digital health adoption. This would require an unique identity for patients and putting order into patient flows, doctor workflows, care plans, medication and diagnostic results, all of which generate data. A national health stack will facilitate collection of comprehensive healthcare data across the country. This will enable everyone in the health sector to be linked digitally. Data produced can provide valuable information, which can be analyze to improve the health system. This will fuel mobile technology, telemedicine application, use of AI and cloud-based solutions.”
Genworks Health had already anticipated the trend and incorporated a bouquet of digital solutions encompassing telemedicine, telecardiology, teleradiology, telepathology, etc, with the objective of improving efficiency, productivity, ensuring referrals and a better workflow. It is presently exploring a means to introduce technology to ensure the remote screening and diagnosis of Asthma by specialists in the field who could be reached digitally in order to diagnose and monitor treatment and thereby prevent unnecessary visits to clinics.
In the words of President Ram Nath Kovind who addressed the 23rd annual convocation ceremony of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences recently, healthcare delivery in India is poised to undergo a change at all stages- prevention, diagnosis and treatment and GenWorks is at the helm of this change. This time to alleviate respiratory misery in the New Normal.
Let India breathe easy.
