Where did the ‘care’ go in healthcare?

According to a recent Brandcare survey of healthcare consumers, time given by a physician to a patient is one of the most important satisfaction parameters in a patient- physician relationship or rather what’s left of it. Doctors are hard pressed to find time to build meaningful relationships with their patients. The average doctor-patient time is about 4 minutes at the primary care in India.

Shouldn’t there be an emphasis on the overall healing, encompassing both physical and emotional well being? While ‘peer reviewed’ is a much sought after in healthcare, shouldn’t there be equal emphasis on ‘patient reviewed’? Imagine a world where patients rated doctors on three important Cs – competence, compassion and care. A score which influences the credits they are required to take every year. A system so patient reviewed will reward doctors who actually deserve esteem from their peers and patients.

Healthcare is hungry for technological disruption. Health tech companies can easily set up a system, in tandem with the ministry of health, that allows the patient to rate the doctor based on the care provided. The romancing of health and technology with a patient focus can create immense social value that can truly help put the ‘care’ back in the ‘healthcare’.

Rashmi Thosar

CEO, Brandcare