Experiencing quality healthcare is a major concern for those who cannot afford it or access it. While urban strata of the society can access it at an affordable rate, the same is not ubiquitous to rural areas in India.
Our nation is currently facing few very prominent challenges in healthcare, such as-patient monitoring and tracking, government's healthcare spending, disease burden, affordability of healthcare systems in tier 2-3 cities, less doctors & hospital beds per 1000 population, inadequate sanitation & hygiene & very few screening centers for terminal disease detection.
Our nation is currently facing few very prominent challenges in healthcare, such as-patient monitoring and tracking, government's healthcare spending, disease burden, affordability of healthcare systems in tier 2-3 cities, less doctors & hospital beds per 1000 population, inadequate sanitation & hygiene & very few screening centers for terminal disease detection.
Public Private Partnership - Is that a solution?
At present, India is compounded by insufficient resources and management of healthcare infrastructure. For example, in order to enhance the quality of diagnostic and cancer treatment services, public private partnerships can play a vital role. Cancer, as a disease has impacted all strata of society across both rural and urban locations. At the fundamental level the PPP model of healthcare delivery can be designed in a way that various functions are managed professionally by organizations of global repute. In order to enhance quality of cancer care delivery, PPPs can ensure adequate supply of skilled human resources such as para-medical and nursing staff for hospitals and screening centers. Private partners have a very important role to play in effective administration of cancer screening centers in India. They can work in tandem with the government's development goals and in devising comprehensive cancer care projects. India's receptiveness towards newer diagnostic technologies in cancer care can be an enabling factor for garnering appropriate and sufficient investments.
Currently the ailing patients have to travel to metro cities for a simple CT scan. It is therefore important to define a mechanism that can filter out the needy and economically challenged population that could get access to subsidized & accessible cancer treatment in their locality. To be able to address the challenges faced by those living in tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 towns, health insurance policies can be formulated so that some of the treatment costs are covered. Dotting these towns with more number of screening centers can go a long way in bringing down cancer mortality rate in the nation.
Indian States-The PPP Role Models
A few states in India are already addressing the problem of inadequate screening centers by outsourcing lab tests through a public private partnership (PPP) model. Global players such as GE Healthcare have come to the forefront to partner with private healthcare companies to provide state of the art diagnostic services in Maharashtra. Government of Bihar through Bihar Medical Services & Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (BMSICL) has made arrangements for providing cancer diagnostic and treatment services by setting up 'cancer clusters' in Bihar. These treatment centers are based on 'build and operate' concept. The role of the government is to provide space, building and other infrastructural facilities whereas the private partner will have to be responsible for equipment, manpower as well as facility management.
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PPP Models around the Globe
Many countries serve as a great example of efficient PPP model in healthcare. In Canada for example, under the PPP hospital model, the private company constructs and owns the physical hospital building and lease to hospital board. The hospital board then takes the responsibility of running the hospital. In addition to this, Canada uses PPPs to help generate savings in the public sector. Every PPP in Canada has to be backed by a strong & detailed economic case which demonstrates that the PPP approach represents better value for money to the Canadian taxpayer. This is totally a new way of looking at the PPP model.
PPP model in Turkey proves to be another good example. Under the Turkish scheme, healthcare investors will provide money, construct, furnish, supply, operate and maintain the hospitals. The Ministry of Health will be responsible for providing medical services & the project company will provide certain clinical support and other support services. Clinical support services could include opening screening centers for imaging, laboratory, sterilization and rehabilitation. Other support services would include building maintenance, cleaning, utilities management, information management, grounds maintenance, reception, car park, waste management, laundry and catering. This model consolidates hospitals under one single medical campus in order to benefit from economy of scales and greater management efficiencies.
Other countries in the league are United Kingdom, Italy and Philippines, where implementation of innovative PPP models has paced up. It won't be incorrect to say that PPPs are a valuable tool in delivering health care. PPPs have been able to successfully bridge the huge gap between association of the private sector with the rich and the linkage of the public sector with the poor. It is possible to achieve excellence in healthcare delivery through public private partnership models.
Let the word spread: