Unveiling the ABCs: Identifying India's Healthcare Service Gaps

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-07, Vol.15 (7), p.e42398-e42398
• Main Author: Chawla, Nistara Singh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Caregivers; Communication; Community; Families & family life; Gender; Health care; Health facilities; Health Policy; Hospitals; Infrastructure; Medical personnel; Medical treatment; Patient satisfaction; Public Health; Quality Improvement; Quality standards; Religion; Rural areas; Stigma; Womens health; Workforce
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42398

The diverse population of India has challenges with receiving comprehensive and accessible healthcare. The shortcomings of India's healthcare system are highlighted in this editorial by looking at the important topics of accessibility, patient and practitioner behaviors, and clinical governance difficulties. Regional differences, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of qualified workers, and cultural issues all have an impact on how easily accessible healthcare is in India. Gender norms, social shame, religious views, and language problems can all have an impact on how people seek healthcare, functioning as barriers to access. In India, clinical governance is challenged by a disjointed healthcare system and insufficient regulatory frameworks. To address these barriers, it is crucial to enhance healthcare infrastructure, strengthen regulatory mechanisms, promote a culture of quality improvement, provide training on clinical governance, and leverage technology for data collection and analysis. To reduce gaps in culture and promote access to healthcare, collaborations with local organizations, religious institutions, and community leaders are crucial. In India, efforts are being made to increase access to healthcare through programs like infrastructure development, the expansion of the healthcare workforce, health insurance coverage, and telemedicine. To improve the availability, affordability, and caliber of healthcare services, sustained efforts are required. To reduce the gaps and attain universal and equitable healthcare in India, a complex strategy comprising policy interventions, investments, reforms, and community engagement is required.