| After the telecom thunder and the retail rush | | | | conglomerates investing big money in |
| in India, Healthcare seems to be the next | | | | healthcare, are making the sector impossible |
| biggest bet for everyone. With promises of | | | | to ignore. |
| many billions of Indian Rupees, large | | | | |
| diversified conglomerates such as Reliance, | | | | So, the healthcare sector will grow at a |
| Birlas, Tatas are all betting their money in | | | | frenetic pace - Quod Erat Demonstrandum!. |
| the Indian healthcare delivery space. As has | | | | Coming to the need for good communications |
| been with other high growth sectors in India | | | | companies in this field and why they will |
| that witnessed a rapid meteoric rise, those | | | | grow is as self-evident as it is when we see |
| who don't jump into the bandwagon quickly are | | | | the tree in a good seed after adding in the |
| likely to miss the speeding bus completely. | | | | factors of the right conditions, right |
| Industry experts promise that among other | | | | nutrients and a little luck. |
| businesses which will ride the crest of this | | | | |
| healthcare delivery boom will be the | | | | This need for specialized communications in |
| erstwhile non-starter business of healthcare | | | | the healthcare field is particularly |
| communications. | | | | important in a country with a tropical |
| | | | climate profile as in India. Sadly the |
| Many communication giants who were early | | | | climate makes India a breeding ground for |
| starters in healthcare communications (having | | | | diseases. Therefore, as much as we don't want |
| started two to three years ago) in India had | | | | it to happen, there will be many |
| to face the embarrassing ignominy of their | | | | manifestations of many diseases(a few of them |
| businesses not taking off despite repeated | | | | which have even been eradicated from the rest |
| attempts at survival. Some continue to | | | | of the world!) |
| struggle, but on the whole, it would be safe | | | | |
| to say that most have been decimated by being | | | | Secondly, we live in a country where |
| ahead of their time. Some continue to adorn | | | | traditionally we have been taught not to |
| the garb of existing as healthcare | | | | question the medical professional; where a |
| communications agencies on the face of it, | | | | question by the traditional patient may even |
| but beneath the surface their survival | | | | border on being branded as a taboo. The need |
| instincts have taken the better of them and | | | | for educating the huge and myriad Indian |
| they are doing all but healthcare | | | | population in many ways will be an imperative |
| communications while waiting for the elusive | | | | difficult to ignore. |
| critical mass of clients. | | | | |
| | | | Then, the very nature of India's diversity |
| But today, after the many months of | | | | calls for an effective communications |
| vacillation and intemperate behaviour, the | | | | scenario. Last known to have 1652 dialects of |
| healthcare sector are finally going to go the | | | | which 24 languages are spoken by over a |
| way of the 'boom' sectors. But before | | | | million people, a mosaic made of thousands of |
| entering this field do not forget to read the | | | | cultural nuances that necessitate an |
| warning sign which proclaims, "Enter at your | | | | intricate understanding of regional needs |
| own risk. Blink and the race will be over". | | | | before communications can be effective. Also, |
| | | | healthcare is an area of special interest and |
| Today's signs that show the glimpse of a | | | | communicating the needs, dispelling the myths |
| different tomorrow. Lets take a look at the | | | | and clearing the misconceptions in this field |
| signs - Reuters has projected 2007 to have | | | | will assume sigificant proportions. |
| the highest year-on-year earnings growth, | | | | |
| medical tourism has grown ten-fold from 2000 | | | | The barometer signs all indicate towards a |
| to have over 1,00,000 medical tourists | | | | high growth in the healthcare communications |
| touching the shores of India, private equity | | | | space, and those who have an advantage of |
| funding is finding its way into the | | | | local knowledge, understanding of healthcare |
| healthcare sector, healthcare insurance has | | | | and efficacy of implementation, will benefit |
| also taken off and finally the clincher | | | | enormously by riding the current healthcare |
| probably is the coming together of the | | | | crest. |
| tipping point 'influentials' - the big Indian | | | | |