Experts Debate On Future Of Diagnostics Laboratory At BW Diagnostics Summit 2019

First BW Diagnostics Summit was organized by Business Healthcare at New Delhi on Thursday. A panel discussion on the ‘Role of new technologies in tomorrow’s laboratory’ was organized. The experts of the industry present at the panel were Dr. Arjun Dang, CEO, DR. Dang’s Lab; Deepak Sahni, Founder and CEO, Healthians; Akansh Khurana, CEO, THB; Harish Natarajan, COO and President (Clinical Diagnostics), Strand Life Sciences, and Rajesh Patel, Head, IVD Business, Agappe Diagnostics. 

Putting forward the changes needed in the diagnostics, Khurana said that educating men on thyroid should be put in focus as most women are educated because that’s where it’s believed the main market is. Moving ahead, Khurana added, “The right information and logistics should be provided to the insurance company”.  

Pointing at how far we have come in terms of diagnostics, Dang said, ‘‘Earlier it took 48 hours to get a report based on the stool-culture, however now we can get within a couple of hours’’. The main challenge faced by the present diagnostics system is the awareness of physicians, added Dang. 

Remarking upon the opportunities present in this sector, Harish said that there is an opportunity to collaborate and coordinate as an industry. Further, he added that it is all about decision-making. ‘What works for one may not for work for another, hence challenges should be handled differently’, stated Harish.  

Looking forward, Patel said that we need to make sure whether the medicine is reaching the rural parts of the country or not, whether it is working for them or not. India has second largest patients in Diabetes which demand huge focus in the diagnostics, added Patel.  

Navneel Maji

BW Reporters The author is Jr Copy Editor with BW Businessworld