Practo, the leading healthcare platform, has released the second edition of its Annual Healthcare Map of India, which highlights key consumer health concerns. The findings include 80 per cent rise in pulmonologist appointments and 58 per cent increase in cardiologist appointments .

The report which provides a comprehensive information on the disease and illness trends across India is based on the 45 million appointments taken by patients from its platform across 35 cities with focus Delhi & NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad across 200+ medical specialties.

“Our mission is to help people live healthier, longer lives and that begins with access to better data. This is the most comprehensive healthcare report for India. We release this annually to highlight the disease trends facing India. We hope these findings better equip our healthcare providers to understand disease patterns and address them effectively.” - Shashank ND, founder and chief executive officer, Practo.

The high incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), is reported for rapid urbanization and a fast-paced socio-economic development is contributing to the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, hypertension etc. Additionally, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, smoking and stress are some of the major contributors to the progression of preventable chronic diseases.

Specifically in Bengaluru, air pollution is growing alarmingly which is reflected in 62 percent increase in appointments with Pulmonologists. The major spike in appointments is seen across the age group of 35- 44 years. Top 3 cities reporting growth in appointments for pulmonologists are Delhi (50 per cent) Mumbai (64 per cent) and Bangalore (80 per cent).

For diabetes, there is a 25 per cent growth in appointments and 70 per cent of the appointments booked were by patients of 25-44 years. Maximum appointments were seen in Hyderabad (38 per cent), Mumbai (40 per cent), and Kolkata (49 per cent).

In cardiology, 40 per cent growth in appointments for patients in hypertension for age group of 25-35 years. The rise in appointments was seen in cities like Bangalore and Pune with a growth of 58 per cent and 38 per cent respectively as compared to 2015

The impact of computers and use of mobile phones resulted in 31 per cent growth in spine surgeon appointments,25 per cent growth in spine and pain specialists’ appointments and most were booked by people in the age group of 18-24 years.

A 22 per cent growth is also seen in gastroenterologists appointments. The most common symptoms were abdominal discomfort or pain, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting in the age group of 25-34 years. Mumbai saw a 26 per cent increase in appointments with gastroenterologists followed by Delhi at 27 per cent growth, and Hyderabad at 24 per cent.

Another interesting insight that the Healthcare Map drew was on how people are preferring to book appointments with doctors practicing allopathy as well as alternative medicine. There was a growth of 62 per cent in booked appointments with allopathic doctors and a 34 per cent growth in appointments for alternative medicine doctors in the age bracket of 35 years & above, he said.