As we commemorate Doctor’s Day, Practo, a healthcare technology company, has revealed a significant trend in the healthcare sector. Over the last 15 years, Indian doctors have managed 200 million appointments online, highlighting a steady shift towards digital technology in healthcare.
Research by the American Medical Association (AMA) supports this digital transformation, finding that 9 in 10 physicians see benefits in digital health tools. Practo Ray, a clinic management software, reported that in 2009, Indian doctors managed approximately 638,000 appointments digitally. This number surged to over 20 million in 2023 alone, marking a 228 per cent increase since 2013.
City-wise trends show that doctors in Bangalore and Delhi were the earliest adopters of digital appointment management, experiencing growth rates of 307 per cent and 339 per cent, respectively. Following them were doctors from Mumbai (182 per cent), Hyderabad (164 per cent), Pune (362 per cent), and Chennai (68 per cent).
Among medical specialties, dentists were initially the most digital-friendly, with 61 per cent of dentists contributing to digital appointments in 2013. However, this lead has narrowed over the years. In 2023, dentists made up 33 per cent of digital appointments, with doctors from other specialities like dermatology (12 per cent) and internal medicine (6 per cent) catching up.
In the last decade, doctors from specialities such as gynaecology, orthopedics, paediatrics, physiotherapy, and psychiatry have seen the highest growth in digital appointment management.
Alexander Kuruvilla, Chief Health Strategy Officer at Practo, commented, “Doctors have to manage multiple responsibilities daily, from meeting patients and reviewing reports to planning their OPDs and scheduling their day. Efficient management of their practice is critical to ensuring the best care for patients. Over the last decade, digital technology has streamlined this for doctors, and we’re incredibly proud to see the significant impact it has had across India. Managing 200 million appointments in 15 years reflects every physician's commitment to adapt to the changing needs of patients and their passion for their profession.”
