Challenges of rural health care in India and digitalization of health care

Abstract

India is currently the most populous country in the world, with pressing unmet needs of the population living in rural and remote areas. Digitization of health care has opened a new window to solve public health challenges of the communities as it has the potential to remove the physical barrier between urban and rural areas. Several mHealth applications have been introduced in the recent 2–3 years in India. mHealth apps are being used to deliver health-care information, reminders, and support to rural communities. For health-care managers, digitalization makes their work of supply chain management easier in rural areas, ensuring that essential health-care resources are available to the communities in a more efficient manner.

Keywords

• digital health
• health-care technology
• health-care apps
• rural health
• telemedicine
• video consultation