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