Provisioning Of Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Services In India: An In-Depth Analysis
Keywords:
Indian diagnostic laboratories, Operational aspects of Indian medical laboratories, Laboratory diagnosis in India, Indian medical laboratory servicesAbstract
Context: Diagnostic services play a critical role in shaping medical decisions that, in turn, have significant implications for the nation's overall health. However, the landscape of diagnostic services in India lacks comprehensive exploration within the existing literature.
Aims: This study aimed to provide insights into the operations and provision of diagnostic services by Indian diagnostic laboratories.
Materials and Methods: The study employed a combination of exploratory field visits and an extensive literature review to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Indian healthcare system.
Results: Indian diagnostic laboratories can be categorized based on the nature of services offered and their governance structures. Significant variations were observed in terms of financing, available resources, quality assurance mechanisms, and patient accessibility to services among these diverse laboratory types.
Conclusions: The study's findings highlight that patients' access to laboratory services is intricately linked to the operational aspects of laboratories, including their governance, financial models, available resources, service quality assurance, and patient-centric service delivery.
