Indian Doctors achieve 200 million online appointments with Practo Ray over 15 years

New Delhi: As India celebrates Doctor’s Day, Practo has revealed that the Indian doctors have managed 200 million appointments online, marking a steady shift towards digital healthcare.

Practo Ray, a clinic management software, reported that in 2009, Indian doctors managed approximately 638,000 appointments digitally. By 2023, this number surged to over 20 million, representing a 228% increase since 2013.

City-wise trends show that doctors in Bangalore and Delhi were the earliest adopters of digital appointment management, with growth rates of 307% and 339%, respectively. Following these cities are Mumbai (182%), Hyderabad (164%), Pune (362%), and Chennai (68%).

Initially, dentists were the most digital-friendly, with 61% contributing to digital appointments in 2013. However, by 2023, this lead had narrowed, with dentists accounting for 33% of digital appointments, while other specialties like dermatology (12%) and internal medicine (6%) have caught up. Over the last decade, specialties such as gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, physiotherapy, and psychiatry have seen the highest growth in digital appointment management.

Dr. Alexander Kuruvilla, Chief Health Strategy Officer at Practo, commented, “In a day, doctors have to manage multiple things, right from meeting patients, reviewing reports, planning their OPDs and scheduling their day. An efficient management of their practice is very critical to ensure best care to patients. In the last decade, digital technology has streamlined this for doctors and we’re incredibly proud to see the significant impact it had on doctors across India. 200mn appointments in 15 years is a reflection of every physician’s commitment to continue to learn and adapt to meet the changing needs of patients and the sheer passion they bring to their profession.”