Author: yourhealthtech
Universal health coverage means that everyone has access to the complete range of high-quality health-care services they require, when and where they need them, and without financial hardship. It encompasses the entire range of vital health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. Every country has a different path to achieving UHC and deciding what to cover based on the needs of their people and the resources at hand. However, the importance of access to health services and information as a basic human right is universal. In Jammu and Kashmir, although the healthcare facilities in the…
IDIOT (internet-derived information obstructing treatment) syndrome is one of the biggest challenges that has-been raised from our digital dependency. People suffering from IDIOT syndrome google out their symptoms, self diagnose and start treatment without consulting a doctor or some people google out the medicines prescribed by doctors and start checking their uses and side effects and then discontinue the treatment without realising that a single medicine has numerous uses and doctor knows best what a patient needs. World Health Organisation (WHO) calls this situation an “infodemic (excessive availability of both correct and misleading health-related information affecting people’s ability to make…
One would imagine that building an effective digital health system with the capacity to serve more than a billion beneficiaries would be an ambitious project. However, India developed the CoWIN platform in less than three months during the coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown. In less than 18 months, CoWIN helped administer two billion Covid-19 vaccination doses, protecting over 90% of all eligible adults. CoWIN demonstrates how India has been progressively digitalising its health systems to improve efficiency and reach the last mile. The platform was built on the foundation and network established by another Indian digital platform, eVIN or the electronic vaccine…
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the inadequate availability of essential medical devices in India during a time of intense demand. Medical devices, ranging from ventilators and oxygen purifiers to personal protective equipment (PPE) and N95 masks, were in short supply when the health system in the country and the population it serviced needed them the most. However, medical devices largely remain inaccessible even otherwise, both in terms of availability and affordability. This lack of access stems from issues such as hurdles in their procurement in public and private hospitals, supply issues due to inadequate manufacturing capacity in the country for high-end…
Healthcare organizations are encountering numerous challenges and changes due to the dynamic healthcare setting. These changes include intensifying technology employment to enhance clinical practices, refined care coordination, and accommodating payment model fluctuations. Coca-Cola, the 131-year-old beverage giant, has proven that even the most established companies can reinvent themselves numerous times to thrive in a competitive landscape. While the beverage industry is different from healthcare, healthcare organizations must mimic Coca-Cola’s transformation model and strategy to stay relevant for another 100 years. The following are five themes and examples of healthcare organizations implementing Coca-Cola’s transformation strategy. Expanding The Portfolio Healthcare organizations can…
n the last few years, India has made encouraging improvements in the arena of maternal and newborn healthcare. In the year 2015, the Infant Mortality Rate per 1000 live births was 37 which came down to 30 in 2019. While these are still very high numbers, in many parts of the country the situation is even worse than the national average. For instance, the IMR in many large states such as UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, and Chhattisgarh is over 40. Similarly, when we look at the Maternal Mortality Rate, the national average is 8.1, but it is…
OpenAI released ChatGPT about five months ago, and followed it up with GPT4 in March. Tech giants and startups have started exploring the potential for LLMs and generative AI tools in healthcare, medicine, clinical settings, and research. The healthcare industry is increasingly integrating LLMs due to their ability to enhance patient experiences and automate various management tasks, leading to improved efficiency and productivity. These models can simplify interactions between patients and healthcare organisations, providing medical advice, answering health questions, and automating certain tasks such as collecting clinical data and assessing diagnoses. The use of such chatbots in healthcare is expected…
Healthtech startup Briota Technologies – which is on a mission to simplify the diagnosis and management of chronic respiratory diseases – won the coveted ZS PRIZE healthcare innovation award, followed by medtech startup Ayati Devices and UrvogelBio as runners up. The ZS PRIZE healthcare innovation award is an initiative by global management consulting and technology firm ZS Associates to recognize, celebrate, and advance the most impactful tech- enabled healthcare innovations solving for India. ZS PRIZE focuses on innovations that leverage data, analytics, and advanced technologies to create smart health solutions that are affordable, accessible, and scalable. ZS PRIZE started off…
The Rajasthan Right to Health Care Act, passed by the Rajasthan State Legislative Assembly on March 21, 2023, draws attention to the issue of patients’ rights to healthcare, which rarely features in public debates. With the goal of ensuring health for all’, and, conversely, no denial of healthcare to any citizen, the Act proposes to legally define collective and individual rights in healthcare, constitute state and district authorities and institute grievance redressal and social accountability mechanisms. In a calibrated move, the Act also details the rights of doctors and health care providers while laying down the duties of both doctors…
Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. It is a holistic approach to health that focuses on finding balance and harmony between the mind, body, and spirit. Ayurveda has been gaining popularity around the world in recent years as more people seek natural and alternative ways to improve their health and well-being. In this article, we will explore how Ayurveda is expanding beyond India and its impact on the global healthcare industry. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that means “the science of life.” It is based on the belief that every person…
