Imagine a corporate system functioning without management departments, or employees working with incomplete knowledge, would it be counted as a perfect working organisation? Similarly, despite significant advancements in India’s healthcare sector over the past two years, the industry still grapples with complex challenges related to its workforce. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the healthcare sector in 2024, will be one of the country’s largest employee industries, estimating a workforce of 7.5 million healthcare professionals. Still, issues of training, retention, and management occur as a primary challenge in this industry, which is not only an administrative concern but has a direct impact on the quality of care received by millions of patients every day.

Training: Bridging the skills gap

Indian health care ranges from crowded metropolis hospitals to a remote rural clinic suffering a range of unresolved problems that require serious attention to be addressed now.  What students are taught in healthcare institutions varies from what is needed in on-site fields.

The Indian healthcare market, which was valued at US$ 110 billion in 2016 is now projected to reach US$ 638 billion by 2025, revealed by India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF). The integration of modern technology and tools has revolutionised healthcare sectors. On the contrary, numerous healthcare professionals have revealed that the Indian health industry is significantly behind Western countries. The reason for this gap is the traditional curriculum, which emphasises theoretical knowledge over practical skill build-up.

Will reforming technology be worthwhile for the 7.5 million human capital in the health sectors, if the gap between technological advancements and patient care continues to widen?

Retention: Keeping talent in the field

Incomplete knowledge is not only the reason behind this gap, retaining trained healthcare professionals is another major challenge. Turnover rates are another great concern surrounded by high job dissatisfaction, burnout, and low financial remuneration. This condition is a turning factor for many healthcare professionals to quit their jobs and go abroad for better opportunities. Isolation and poor professional development opportunities worsen the situation for healthcare workers in rural areas, which the government still fails to navigate.

This can be solved if competitive salaries, mental health support, and career opportunities are strongly built for our students and professionals. For example, the ‘Swasthya Karmi’ scheme initiated in collaboration with UNICEF for tribal communities resolves some of these issues through improved working conditions, by training health workers in rural areas that boost their morale and reduce turnover.

Management: Effective strategies for a growing workforce

Is it possible that with the largest population, the problem is not confined to that, rather the challenge lies in managing a diverse range of professionals across various levels, from highly specialised doctors to frontline health workers in remote areas?

The lack of standardisation in workforce management practices in the healthcare sector leads to inconsistencies in quality care and inefficient resource allocation. A study by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) highlights the need for a unified system to manage healthcare workers, as mismatches between workforce availability and patient needs are common.

To address these challenges, adopting technology such as Electronic Health Records (EHR), and telemedicine concepts for examining patients and Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) can streamline administrative tasks, reduce paperwork, and improve coordination among healthcare teams. Furthermore, implementing robust data management systems can ensure efficient resource allocation and deployment of healthcare workers.

Additionally, fostering a culture of continuous professional development through regular training, certifications, and support for higher education can enhance job satisfaction, career longevity, and overall workforce engagement. Surroundings and nature are considered to be the best teachers for any learner.

How education can contribute

Education is at the heart of building a stronger health workforce system. Education plays an important role, whether related to improved educational quality, escalation of workforce development, or rebuilding management.

The first is a call to action for updating the education system by introducing modern or newly adopted techniques, and advanced technology and implementing real-world problem-solving into the educational apparatus will improve preparedness for future roles. Forming partnerships between academic institutions and healthcare providers re-engages curricular design ensuring accurate responsiveness of teaching hospitals and other healthcare educational programs to the needs and expectations of an evolving workforce.

The Indian education system should reconstruct the curriculum by prioritising problems that are truly part of society rather than adhering to a syllabus developed decades ago.  Workplaces with ongoing specialisation opportunities, further training, or advancement of leadership skills are likely to foster enthusiasm amongst the workforce. This will enhance individual work satisfaction and improve versatility in regional and specialised care making a more effective health workforce and system.

Training programs focused on management and the usage of technology will inevitably improve efficiencies in the management of operational areas of healthcare. When healthcare managers have foundational training and skills to address the many levels of the administrative burden of modern healthcare or are exposed to ongoing learning that addresses new skills that support technology, the ability to operate healthcare organisations, systems, and entities improves.

The writer is the President of IIHMR University