Healthcare providers to spend $1.2 billion on IT in 2015: Gartner

MUMBAI: Healthcare providers in India are expected to spend $1.2 billion on IT products and services in 2015, an increase of 7 per cent over 2014, according to infotech research and advisory firm Gartner.

The growth in the Indian healthcare ICT market will be driven by private sector as well as Government investments.

Healthcare providers are expected to spend $1.2 billion on IT products and services in the current year, a rise of 7 per cent over 2014, said a study by the US-based company.

"IT services, which include consulting, IT outsourcing (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO), will be the largest overall spending category throughout the forecast period within the health care providers sector," said Gartner Research Vice-President Anurag Gupta in a statement here.

"IT services are expected to reach $334 million in 2015, growing 7 per cent over 2014. The BPO sub-segment will record the fastest growth rate of 15 per cent over 2014. ITO will be the largest sub-segment in IT services recording a 10 per cent increase to reach $103 million in 2015."

The software market will grow 6.7 per cent in 2015 to reach $102 million, up from $96 million in 2014. Vertical specific software (VSS), which includes hospital information system, electronic health/medical records, health information management and patient financial management will grow 6 per cent in 2015 to reach $28 million, he said.

"The growth in the Indian healthcare ICT market will be driven by the private sector mainly focusing in tertiary specialised care, secondary hospital care and the Government investments on core public health and primary care across several states," Gupta said.

The Gartner forecast includes spending by healthcare providers (includes hospitals, ambulatory service and physicians practices) on Internal services, software, IT services, data centre, devices and telecom services.