How a Startup Is Setting Up the Path to Adopt PHR and EHR in India?

In India, a general perception in middle-class / upper-middle-class community is to avoid health care as much as we can. People are completely disregarding their health conditions and ending up suffering and having critical diseases at the later stage. One of the main reasons is the cost of affordability which is leading the mindset of common people to avoid health conditions and go to see doctors only when it is inevitable situations. There are many health institutions where either cost of affordability is high or the waiting time (due to the high volume of patients) is demoralizing individuals to stop taking care of their health. There is a good amount of institutions that are falling in affordability range, however, majority of them have lost trust from individuals that they will get the best treatment out of it. These are the two major reasons which are currently impacting Indian youth’s health, especially between 30 to 45 age group.

In order to make one healthy, we need to emphasize this message very strongly that everyone should start taking care of their health proactively, rather than reactively. The reactive approach is concerning and end up making society less productive. The government of India is taking many initiatives to counter such demoralization e.g. Ayushman Bharat Scheme, which is enabling common individuals to get the healthcare services with a high degree of affordability which they truly deserve. This will certainly encourage them to go and get healthcare services at the right time. In addition to affordability, we also need to focus on technology and infrastructure. In the current age, which is more Data-driven, we need to leverage the technology and data to help and shape our healthcare offerings.

Data can be leveraged to get better healthcare and avoid critical medical situations to a certain extent. This is feasible when we start adopting PHR or EHR. The government of India is making a strong initiative called “Digital India” to digitalize the channels, services, and infrastructures. However, we need strong players in the healthcare sector who can show their interest to establish this required foundation for PHR or EHR. India is waiting for long to get medical standardization e.g. prescriptions, lab results, etc. PHR / EHR will be helpful for setting up a standardized medical practice in India. India is emerging Artificial Intelligence in Medical sector, however, do we have a strong foundation where everyone can reach to its benefits? This is the key question which we need to think about. Without having the required infrastructure, we will not be able to maximize the outcome of any technology and help mankind.

A very promising startup “On Five Fingers®” is setting up this hard and tough foundation to establish the best PHR / EHR in India. There are several other players, which are creating substantial values, however On Five Fingers seems to be focused on enhancing their system to the level of ease, so that common individual can start understanding how to use, and at the same time get encouraged to start adopting such system. On Five Fingers is making right and encouraging steps for setting up a strong and easy path for India to adopt PHR or EHR. Their robust and scalable solution is empowering users to analyze health data and take preventive actions. Currently, it is a unique platform amongst such providers when we go and compare it with them.

Mrs. Jaya S Kumar – Founder and Director of On Five Fingers® says “We are not only building this infrastructure, we are also contributing to coach people to make awareness, so that each one of us should start leveraging such platform”. She also shared the initial struggle where she felt that Govt should have some flexible policies to promote and encourage this kind of platform across India.

On Five Fingers® is also educating individuals to make them understand about the key benefit of PHR and offering their services at the optimized cost in India. When we question about the same, they responded “We understand healthcare is key and count as essential services for every individual, therefore our cost is highly encouraging for everyone to afford.

India with 1.3B population will not have an easy path to build an integrated and central system to maintain PHR / EHR. Without such a platform and infrastructure, it will be a challenge to deliver Artificial intelligence in healthcare to the common people. It is a long journey that has started with strong footprints, where such startups are making a great impact with their unique idea, great product, and scalable solution. And slowly they will make an easy path for others to come and join their journey.