Metropolis Healthcare Launches NBA Initiative for Proactive Chronic Disease Management

The NBA initiative empowers patients for proactive health management by recommending personalised follow-up tests based on blood parameters, preventing complications.

Metropolis Healthcare Limited has introduced the Next Best Action (NBA) initiative, a patient education program aimed at tackling the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. The initiative is based on a comprehensive data study involving 1,50,261 adults who underwent general body check-ups under the TruHealth package by Metropolis from 2019 to 2022.

The NBA initiative aims to empower patients to take charge of their health and prevent severe complications associated with chronic conditions. By leveraging the results of basic blood parameters, NBA recommends follow-up tests based on the latest research and guidelines tailored to each patient, providing a comprehensive assessment of various body systems.

For instance, patients with elevated blood glucose levels receive advice for diabetes monitoring tests, cardiac risk assessment, and Diabetes complication assessment based on the laboratory results and trends.

This approach utilises data science to understand diabetes-related complications better and guide the treatment journey, emphasising regular diabetes check-ups for effective blood glucose level monitoring. Data analytics help identify and monitor pre-diabetics according to ADA (American Diabetic Association) guidelines.

"We at Metropolis are committed to raising awareness about the alarming trends in chronic health conditions and the importance of timely diagnosis, lifestyle modifications, and patient education. Our Next Best Action Initiative is a proactive step towards early detection and management of complications arising from chronic illnesses, enabling patients to achieve better health outcomes and improve their quality of life," Surendran Chemmenkotil, CEO, Metropolis Healthcare Limited, said in a statement.

Chronic diseases, especially diabetes, are on the rise globally, posing a significant threat to public health. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2030, 1 in 9 people, or 640 million individuals, will be affected by diabetes. Nearly half of these cases remain undiagnosed, leading to severe complications and life-threatening consequences.

Key Findings from Metropolis' TruHealth Data Study:

1. Demographics: The study included a broad age range, with 39.29% of adults aged over 60 years and a significant 52.87% of adults between 31-60 years. Slightly more males (52.87%) comprised the study than females (47.13%).

2. Diabetes Prevalence: Alarmingly, around 38.89% of the population were diabetic, and an even higher number (40.31%) were pre-diabetic, putting them at an increased risk of diabetes and its associated complications.

3. Age and Diabetes Risk: Of the people with diabetes, 53.87% were over 60 years old, emphasising the importance of early testing and lifestyle modifications. Meanwhile, the majority of pre-diabetics (43.62%) were aged 31-45 years, underscoring the need for diabetes education at a younger age.

4. Kidney Health Concerns: Kidney complications are a significant concern for diabetes patients. The study found that 4.82% of pre-diabetics and close to 10% of people with diabetes had high serum creatinine levels, a key indicator of kidney problems. Other important kidney-related parameters, such as Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) and microalbuminuria, were also affected in diabetics, emphasising the need for Renal Function Tests to monitor kidney health.

5. Heart Health Risks: Heart health is another crucial aspect affected by high blood sugar levels. Around 92,319 patients underwent lipid profile tests, revealing that a significant number of diabetics and pre-diabetics were at risk of heart diseases due to abnormal lipid and cholesterol levels.

In another development, in May this year, Metropolis announced plans to open an additional 30 labs and 600-800 collection centres in fiscal 2024. The company had a target to add 90 pathology labs and 1,800 new collection centres in four years, and it has already opened 30 labs and 1,057 centres. The remaining 30 laboratories are scheduled to be opened in the next year.