Pvt hospitals expand tele-ICUs network as critical care demand grows

Aging population and dearth of intensivists behind the rise of tele-ICUs

Rising demand for critical care, an aging population, and a shortage of intensivists are driving India’s adoption of tele-ICUs for remote care. To capitalise on this growth, hospital chains are expanding and diversifying their portfolios, aiming to reach more patients and markets while optimising resource utilisation through remote care solutions.

JP Morgan’s September report noted that the global tele-health market, valued at $83.5 billion in 2022, is expected to grow at a 24% CAGR from 2023 to 2030. Tele-ICU, a component of this system, allows intensive care professionals to remotely monitor and care for ICU patients using secure audio-video and electronic links.

 

Aster Digital Health, a division of Aster DM, launched Tele-ICU a week ago after a soft launch four months prior. This system remotely manages patient data, offering specialist expertise and continuous monitoring, improving outcomes and reducing mortality rates for critically ill patients, particularly in medium and high-risk cases.

“Within the first four months of launching the Tele ICU service, Aster has already provided valuable assistance to over 250 patients across various rural locations in India. This underscores the effectiveness and significance of this service in delivering critical care to those in need,” said Harsha Rajaram, CEO, Aster Digital Health- India. 

Furthermore, the company has established a command centre at its Bangalore head office and hospitals to ensure 24/7 critical care services. Future plans include launching command centres across all clusters to enhance operations and support team scalability. 

“The division aims to expand by partnering with small and medium-sized hospitals in Tier II and III cities throughout India. The goal is to leverage Aster’s skilled workforce to deliver critical care services in areas with limited access to specialised expertise. By using a hub-and-spoke model, this initiative aims to bring high-quality care to regions beyond Tier I cities, enabling local hospitals to manage patients without needing to transfer them to larger centres,” said Rajaram.

Manipal Hospital plans to enhance its tele-ICU division with two key initiatives. It has launched a “patient safety net” to provide real-time, continuous monitoring of patients through a mobile facility linked to a command centre. Additionally, the hospital chain will connect with referral hospitals within the Manipal group to support their ICUs, including remote locations, ensuring comprehensive care across its network.

“In FY24, we managed about 100 patients through tele ICU services. During COVID-19, we were part of the Karnataka government's Critical Care Support Team (CCST), where we took care of over 15,000 to 20,000 patients during the two major spikes. This experience has now translated into ongoing care for approximately 100 patients, including some very important individuals, through tele ICU or tele ICU-connected home care,” said Sunil Karanth, Chairman, HOD & Consultant – Critical Care Medicine, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bengaluru.

Moreover, Karanath said that post-COVID the government has officially endorsed tele-ICUs and video consultations, providing a formal framework for these technologies. The pandemic popularised this model, delivering healthcare to patients in less developed areas and proving effective, gaining widespread acceptance from government authorities, the public, and the medical community.

In February, the Karnataka government launched tele-ICU clusters in Bengaluru and Ballari, with additional centres in Mysuru and Hubballi. These centres, implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, were implemented for Rs 40 crore.

HealthNet Global (HNG) launched its tele-ICU program at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Pusa Road, Delhi, in April. In 2023, Wipro GE Healthcare and Medanta Group partnered to introduce the service in India through a 24x7 Medanta e-ICU Command Centre.

“Our mission is to bring quality care to every citizen in India. In critical patient conditions, accurate diagnosis is vital, and every second matters. The Command Centre, powered by guidance from a super speciality critical care team will help make this possible,” said Chaitanya Sarawate, President & CEO, GE HealthCare South Asia and Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare.