Health hazards in Agriculture

Leave a reply
I wanted to touch this topic because, in today’s world, technology is helping us provide better Healthcare to rural areas.
Rural areas predominantly do not have access to higher Healthcare facilities. Mobile Health camps, PHC’s are helping address the needs, but it is important for us to utilize the power of Mobile reach and device new ideas to help improve Healthcare for farmers.
So, what are the health hazards to farmers have?
  • Farming chemicals.
  • The constant presence of dust, mud and mold.
  • Accidents while using farm equipment.
  • Everyday exposure to the sun all the time.
  • Arthritis
  • Risks of various ailments due to varying weather conditions.
The list is just a beginning. Please do add to the list and also, if you are looking at ideas for your Startup, this list can help you.

Interoperability – Future of Healthcare

Leave a reply
According to the dictionary, Interoperability is ability of a system to work with or use the part of equipment of another system.
Very simple and easy to articulate. But, it is the toughest to execute in the Healthcare space. Most organizations and Healthcare apps work in silos because no one has still figured out how each one can work with each other. So, until then, there will be silence but debates and ideas will exist.
For me, Interoperability does not necessarily mean that each organization has to work with each other and each app has to communicate with other apps freely. Interoperability is a framework and these guidelines are what we should be driving towards executing.
Interoperability is definitely very important component of the Future of Healthcare and it is going to play a pivotal role in the future.

How can Big Data change Healthcare?

Leave a reply
How can Big Data change or transform Healthcare? We capture Insurance information, medical history and wearable devices can track the lifestyle and provide more in-depth information on how the person actually is.
Have you noticed how a couple’s who have been together for longer periods communicate? They talk with their eyes many times. Whereas younger couple speak and share their thoughts and opinions. What happens over a period of time is that one gets to know the other better and mostly each one is proactively involved with each other.
In the same way, initially the data collected by the wearable devices can do a lot of talking and provide various parameters, but only over extended periods of time can the data be providing analysis. Patterns on how various lifestyle’s effect health and how to ensure quality care and take appropriate precautions are just a few things we can analyze from the data we collect. Insurance companies can use data to offer custom Insurance plans which can be more beneficial, Hospitals can provide personalized care, Individuals can themselves monitor and manage their health proactively.
Can Big Data alter the lives? To begin with, Yes. It can. All depends on how we are capturing and utilizing the data.
Do you agree?

Interoperability for Big Data

Leave a reply
You can search for the “most frequent flyer” and you sure will get results. How can the data of one person traveling across continents on different airlines be noticed and tracked? There are two major reservation systems in the world for airlines – <Write the names here>. Anyone buying a plane ticket anywhere in the world has to go through one of these two systems. So, when you search for the most frequent flyer in the world, results are easier to be found.
In America, according to a research, they found out that more than 80% of people are using and tracking Health using, at least, one wearable device (Phone, Step Tracker, Smart Tracker etc). All their information is being recorded and saved.
How do we gather this data and make meaningful use of it? Interoperability is the key here. Organizations which manufacture wearables and store the information should be able to share information with hospitals. Hospitals should be the focus point who gather the data and participate in research activities.
I use a Garmin wearable for tracking my steps, calorie intake and burnt, heart rate and active time. All the data is on Garmin website. When I go to a hospital, to understand my lifestyle, Doctor should be able to pull in my information from Garmin with my permission. This will help him in the better analysis. Second, hospitals should be able to use this information for preventive care.
In India, the PHC which today collects information in the region synchronizes data with the central server. This is how Government takes precautionary measures for any epidemics. Healthcare organizations (Hospitals, Tech Companies etc) should work with the Government to utilize the data for bettering quality of care.
What do you think?

What I learnt from my Mother

8 Replies

2014 August is when my mother left us. She had been a homemaker all her life, but with her understanding of mythology, she used to share quite a few stories of her life, childhood and learnings from her mother.

Life was so beautiful when she was around. I am fortunate and blessed to be born to her. A decade ago, I started to get into life problems and all the time she used to share her experiences with me and ask me to incorporate them into my life. Being a youngster, her advice sounded old fashioned and used to argue back with her, but there definitely are quite a few points which I did want to incorporate into my life, but to practice them, took a very long time.

Be silent
Whenever there was an argument at home or when I was frustrated while driving, she used to tell me one simple thing – To remain Silent. She says silence is the best answer to the most frustrating moments. People around you will only point fingers at you always. This is because of various reasons, they might find solace in blaming you. The best thing you can do is to remain silent all the time. Silence speaks louder than words.

Be respectful
Never even think of insulting or speaking low of anyone, because this is not a good feeling and it will hurt you back internally rather than helping. So, keep it simple and speak to each one around you with respect and dignity. That will take you long in life.

Don’t keep hurt
There are times in our life when we get hurt because of someone. Don’t keep it in your heart and keep thinking of it because it will take away you mental peace and will not help you grow. If you can, speak to the person and close the misunderstanding or hurt, else, drop it. It is good for you. Just because you are hurt, nothing is going to change for you in your life. Instead, if you drop the hurt, it will give you more happiness and that happiness will help you think of the next step which will bring you more success.

When I asked her how she manages all these things, she said that whenever she felt hurt or someone said something which hurt her, she always used to chat God’s name which helped her.

Very simple philosophies and this is what everyone tells us, but after she went away, these three came back to me always and now am trying to follow them as much as I can as respect for her and better my life.

Direct 2 Consumer

Leave a reply

In this era of Digital Health, Entrepreneurs and Organizations are beginning to reach the Consumer directly in building an ecosystem for their offerings. In Healthcare, mostly Business 2 Business is the prevailing approach.

For a home Diabetic testing machine, earlier Physician/Hospital used to recommend a particular product, but today, manufacturers are reaching to Consumers directly and Consumer is having all the information at their fingertips which is helping them to buy the product of their choice.

Earlier manufacturers used to focus on Business 2 Business, but today this just does not end here. If a consumer is not happy with the offering, the business collapses.

In the Indian Healthcare scenario, Direct 2 Consumer model brings in stronger following allowing for quicker feedback loops and helping organizations to better their service.

For any technology company, the key attribute of the success of their idea is Consumer base. The bigger the signup’s, the larger is the ecosystem. The larger the ecosystem, more successful is the business model. Look at startup’s like Practo who provide Doctor, Hospital, Lab etc search with ratings? Consumers are getting a sneak peak at what kind of service they can expect even before they go. Companies like this will focus on building their consumer base which will help them build an ecosystem. The ecosystem can do more than just merely providing service.

Direct 2 Consumer is just not with Technology or Home use products. It is with all businesses impacting Healthcare.

Big Data in Healthcare

Leave a reply

Big Data is going to change the way we live. Wearable devices, Insurance claim information, Electronic Medical Records, Apps collecting data on phone etc are all good samaritans of Big Data.

What can we do with Big Data – Analysis, Predictions, Preventive Care, Best Practices etc are few of the aspects which we can derive from the Data.

There are various sources of data and the need of the hour is tools which can comprehend the details of this data to make it meaningful and usable.

If you look at the investment trends, Healthcare Investments have grown over 176% in 2015 and majority of the investments are in Data Analytics.

We have not yet scratched the tip of the iceberg and personally I feel the next decade will be focused on making meaningful use of the big data.

Do you have a pathbreaking algorithm which we can start with?

Consumer Education

Leave a reply

When you identify a problem and wish to solve it, the most important aspect is consumer education. Bringing out a product or designing a solution and leaving it for people to use does not work. As an entrepreneur, you should demonstrate the functioning of your product/service which falls under Consumer Education.

There are few path-breaking products which came out in the last few decades which needed no education, people just accepted them. On the contrary, there are few products which are awesome, but needed consumer awareness.

The iPod, iPhone and iPad needed no education, please just accepted them and with the gaining importance, they spent time in learning about them. But, products like a Diabetes testing machine, C arm etc, need consumer education as to how they can be effectively used.

When designing a product, as an innovator we need to first evaluate if it needs consumer education. If required, then the first step to the success is to ensure that the education is planned along with the product.

It is just not the idea, but the acceptance of it becomes very important.

To startup in Healthcare – Focus on Domain

Leave a reply

Healthcare is the hottest sector to startup in any part of the world. There is a complete paradigm shift in how Health is being delivered. It is no longer going to see a Doctor or visit a Hospital, Healthcare is beginning at home. Preventive and Proactive Care delivery is fast gaining acceptance.

Technology is indeed helping bridge large part of the ecosystem. Smartphone and apps are bringing care to our fingertips.

When you are thinking of starting up in Healthcare using technology it is very important to understand the domain.

Recently, the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) asked the state government’s to take action against ePharmacies which are selling drugs online. Why? There are definitely legal aspects which need to be take care. The prescription based drugs need supervision and it is not that difficult to get prescriptions. Also, the medicines need to be authenticated by a Pharmacist before they are consumed. Since duplicate drugs are prevalent in the market, Government wants to ensure there is a process which is set before medicines are sold remotely.

For building Healthcare related apps and technology, it is very important to understand the details of the law and how the workflows actually flow. There are quite a few details which need to be understood and applied to ensure the best is delivered.

Understanding Domain is just not understanding how the workflow is, but understanding how the care is delivered. There is a difference in the workflow and administering care. Workflow shows how a diagnosis is performed for the symptoms and administering care is to ensure that the ailment is cured and the client (patient) is completely recovered.

With the growing acceptance of Internet based care, I am sure India will have laws built around the same, but before that, if you are looking at starting up in Healthcare space, focus on understanding the Domain, Workflow, how tests are interrelated to the care, how medicines are administered and finally how the care is delivered. This is what will make your startup successful and accepted.

Focus on the Design – Startup Lessons

Leave a reply

When we have an idea, the next step for us to get it to the market at the earliest. Which is good, but not necessarily the wisest thing to do.

The key parameter in bringing any service/product to market is its present-ability, in other words Design.

Steve Jobs paid such attention to detail that even the smallest alphabet on the product is tested for appropriate printing. In a Mac, if you open up the system, you will find the list of names of all people who worked on developing the product behind the screen cover. No one opens and see’s what is inside, but that is the dedication they give for Design.

Design of the product/service should reflect the culture, vision and mission of the company. So, when you set out to bring out a new product, elucidate your core values, vision and mission statement and then begin the ideation for the design. Because, what people see is what they relate to about your company.