Chennai: At outpatient clinics in city’s private hospitals, women stream in with a variety of health problems—from gynaecology issues to cardiology and orthopaedic conditions. However, they often walk out with lighter wallets and unmet needs.Assessing women’s healthcare, a new study published in BMJ Global Health urges that policies recommend a cap on prices of follow-ups and scans, and reduce out-of-pocket costs to advance India’s universal health coverage by 2030. This will reduce treatment delays and dropout rates, prevent serious complications, and improve treatment outcomes, the authors concluded.
The study, which surveyed 200 patients, unveiled the financial strain on women navigating Chennai’s private hospitals’ outpatient (OP) wards, where monthly outlays averaged 3,626 from an average income of 89,000.Despite the country’s progress towards universal health coverage, out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are still a significant barrier, particularly for OP services, said the study’s corresponding author, Dinesh Sathasivam, from the Faculty of Management Sciences at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research. “The results showed the impact of these expenses on women was substantial,” Sathasivam said.The study advanced two key UN goals—good health and gender equality—by examining how affordable healthcare really is in practice. The findings also revealed gender gaps in access and affordability, underscoring the need for more equitable healthcare for women.Limited insurance coverage for outpatient care remains a major obstacle to achieving universal health coverage, leaving many people without full financial protection. “Most women visiting hospitals feel a comprehensive insurance coverage of outpatient department services is needed to make healthcare more affordable,” said the study’s first author, Mansi Patsariya. Doctors highlight mandatory annual health checks as key to preventing diseases or enabling early detection. In developed nations, patients can often opt for co-payments to cover outpatient needs, which physicians say cuts costs while addressing most health requirements. In India, medical associations urged insurers to offer EMIs for preventive measures such as vaccinations and routine screenings.
