Health care in India is largely unaffordable, says IMS survey

Significant challenges persist in providing quality health care on an equitable, accessible and affordable basis across all regions and communities in India, according to a new IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics study.

The study, Understanding Healthcare Access in India: What is the Current State?, reports that a 40%-45% reduction in out-of-pocket expenditures for both outpatient and inpatient treatments can be attained through a holistic approach addressing four critical, interrelated dimensions of health care access. Those components are: physical accessibility and the location of health care facilities; availability and capacity of needed resources; quality and functionality of service required for patient treatment; and affordability of treatment relative to a patient’s income. The study was based on 15,000 households in rural and urban areas across 12 states. Information was supplemented by interviews with more than 1,000 doctors and experts.

Murray Aitken, executive director, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, said: “While expanding health care access is a critical priority for both the Indian government and the private sector, the gap between aspiration and today’s reality is all too apparent. Challenges with resourcing and financing the public sector health infrastructure have a significant impact on the availability of health care workers and contribute to low-quality perceptions of public health facilities. This leads the rural-poor population to seek costlier treatment options – and adversely impacts overall health care access.”