In eHealth in India Today, the Nature of Work, the Challenges and the Finances : An Interview-Based Study

We have conducted 30 interviews, representing 28 organizations, to understand various factors concerning eHealth in India today. These organizations are involved in designing, implementing or evaluating such programmes or providing relevant technologies. The various types of programmes running in the country include point-of-care in rural and urban areas, monitoring of treatment compliance, disease surveillance and medical education. Largely, programmes are geared to rural areas, where the availability of health personnel is the challenge, not the lack of suitable technology. Although efforts in urban areas have started, business models have not yet been established. The government has not been very successful working on its own, although programmes involving the government and other organizations (in particular non-profits) have led to successes. We conclude that whereas the government is unlikely to succeed if it goes it alone, it is unlikely that there will be widespread benefit – especially in rural areas – in the absence of government involvement