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. 2023 Dec 1:5:1268010.
doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2023.1268010. eCollection 2023.

A comprehensive roadmap for MedTech innovations uptake into the public healthcare system in India

Prakamya Gupta  1 , Charu Rai  1 , Anjaney Shahi  1 , Manisha Sharma  1 , Ranjan Choudhury  1 , Atul Kotwal  1
Affiliations

A comprehensive roadmap for MedTech innovations uptake into the public healthcare system in India

Prakamya Gupta et al. Front Digit Health. .

Abstract

Background: The burden of communicable, non-communicable diseases and reproductive maternal, newborn, child & adolescent health in India, reflects the necessity to develop tailored solutions. The plethora of MedTech innovations has provided healthcare facilities with more effective, affordable and accessible healthcare for people across the country. However, in spite of the Make-in-India scheme in the country, the indigenously developed healthcare technology is far from making an impact on the healthcare system.

Objective: To present a roadmap for MedTech innovations for their successful deployment into the public healthcare system.

Methodology: In addition to the literature review, recommendations were included from several stakeholders such as innovators, manufacturers, policymakers, subject matter experts, funding organizations, State health officials etc.

Results and conclusion: The journey of healthcare innovation from need identification to ideation, to prototyping and validation has paved the way towards the de novo design that caters to unmet needs. Innovations at the advanced technology readiness level (TRL 7/8 and above) demand a holistic and multidisciplinary approach which includes clinical validation, regulatory approval and Health technology assessment. The deployment of healthcare technology into the public healthcare system must consider resources (e.g., time, staff, budget, investment policies), ethical concerns (privacy, security, regulations, ownership), governance (policy, accountability, responsibility etc.), and Skills (capabilities, culture, etc.). The technologies are considered for field trials before the uptake in the public health system. Technology can be a key tool in achieving Universal Health Coverage but its use has to be strategic, judicious, and cognizant of issues around privacy and patient rights.

Keywords: healthcare innovation; low and middle income countries; medical devices; medical technology (Med-Tech) innovations; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The “Valley of Death” highlighting the various challenges faced in transition from ideation to successful commercialization of the product. TRL, technology readiness level; PoC, point-of-care.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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