The healthcare services segment in India's Global Capability Centre (GCC) market has experienced significant growth in employee headcount post-Covid.
Several American health insurance companies have expanded their GCCs in India,
reflecting the increasing demand for healthcare outsourcing and the need to address clinical and administrative labor shortages in the West.
Optum, the health tech arm of UnitedHealth, has added over 8,000 employees in India since 2019.
They have centers in Gurugram, Noida, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, supporting various aspects of digital healthcare, product development, automation, analytics, data solutions, and healthcare operations.
Carelon, the GCC of Elevance Health, a large American health insurer, has seen a remarkable 245% increase in headcount since 2019, reaching 20,000 employees.
They provide a range of services including IT, clinical, prescription, administrative operations, data management, and analytics.
Thryve Digital, a healthtech GCC launched in 2016, serves as both a care provider to patients and an insurance payer.
They have experienced a 325% rise in headcount, reaching 3,400 employees. Innovation is a core aspect of their culture,
Consulting firm Zinnov estimates that there are around 80 GCCs in the healthcare ecosystem in India, with approximately 20% of them in the healthcare payer and provider segment.
This growth trend reflects a shift from outsourcing to companies investing aggressively in their own captives.
GCCs in India are not just outsourcing hubs but centers of innovation and strategic thinking. They are developing tools and solutions that streamline healthcare operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.
This transformation is enabled by the in-depth understanding of the healthcare payer and provider business.
These GCCs in India report low attrition rates, around 6%, which is advantageous for maintaining a stable workforce and achieving long-term goals.
In addition to GCCs, India is home to large independent specialized healthcare Business Process Management (BPM) entities that serve American health insurers. These providers also leverage technology and automation to enhance healthcare support services.
The healthcare tech support sector in India is expanding, with both GCCs and outsourcing businesses benefiting. They collectively employ over 2.5 lakh (250,000) people, contributing significantly to the Indian job market.
Many of these providers, including Access Healthcare and Omega Healthcare, use proprietary tools and robotic process automation systems to improve administrative, financial, and clinical support processes.
In summary, the growth of GCCs and healthcare outsourcing in India is driven by the need for healthcare companies to innovate, optimize operations, and address labor shortages.
These centers are not only expanding their workforce but also playing a crucial role in transforming the healthcare industry.