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WHEELS rural telemedicine centers – Making affordable and quality healthcare accessible
WHEELS Global Foundation’s Health Council, led by Dr. Raj Shah, has pioneered a rural telemedicine solution through its innovative HEART (Healthcare Easy Access for Rural Community via Telemedicine) model.
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WHEELS Global Foundation rural telemedicine centers in India / Courtesy Photo -WHEELS GLOBAL
A large portion of India's population lives in villages without timely, quality, and affordable healthcare due to various barriers. Qualified medical personnel are reluctant to live in small towns and villages due to the lack of modern conveniences and facilities.
Additionally, these villages often lack adequate diagnostic testing facilities, necessitating travel to the nearest town for medical services. This travel increases costs, takes time away from work, and sometimes requires overnight stays. Consequently, many villagers delay seeking diagnosis until the condition becomes serious, avoiding early diagnosis and treatment, which are less expensive and easier to manage. The current healthcare setup also suffers from overcrowding and economic pressures, leading to multiple patient visits for common conditions.
WHEELS Global Foundation’s Health Council, led by Dr. Raj Shah, has pioneered a rural telemedicine solution through its innovative HEART (Healthcare Easy Access for Rural Community via Telemedicine) model. This model leverages modern technologies to deliver affordable, timely healthcare with superior quality and patient experience.
WHEELS rural telemedicine solution includes several key elements: a Rural Telemedicine Center (RTC) staffed by an assistant, known as 'Sahayak' (typically a local person with high-school / diploma). The center is equipped with medical and electronic devices to gather key diagnostic data before the patient consults with the physician. ‘Smart’ software assists in structured triage by the Sahayaks.
Patients then have a typical 10-minute video consultation with the physician, who has access to device-generated diagnostics and software-enabled triage outputs for an accurate and efficient treatment plan. Finally, prescriptions are sent directly to the nearest pharmacy or through the Sahayak, ensuring patients receive comprehensive care without feeling rushed during the consultation or unnecessary repeat visits.
WHEELS funds each center with essential hardware, including smartphones or tablets, SIM cards for internet connectivity, portable printers for prescriptions, and digital medical devices such as BP monitors, thermometers, pulse oximeters, glucometers, and scales. This telemedicine solution has been implemented in partnership with MySmartCareDoc (provider of telemedicine software) and more than half-a-dozen field partners.
Patients pay a nominal teleconsultation fee of about ₹110, which includes ₹50 for the doctor's fee, ₹30 for the Sahayak’s fee, and ₹30 for the software cost. This fee can be subsidized by contributions from partner foundations or CSRs, offsetting the costs of personnel and/or physicians. The HEART model is thus self-sustaining, providing both healthcare access and livelihoods for Sahayaks and support staff.
In the first phase of the solution, WHEELS launched 306 telemedicine centers in villages across seven states (Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh) by WHEELS. In a short time, these centers have already managed nearly 14,000 patient visits. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these Centers played a crucial role in providing free medical care to the villagers.
In the next phase, WHEELS has now partnered with other NGOs to run the centers at various locations. By the end of 3rd quarter of 2024, nearly 100 new centers are scheduled to be started with Samhita Foundation and Sigma Foundation in Delhi, Sri Madhusudan Sai Foundation and Bahaar Foundation in Bengaluru and nearby areas, Sevak Foundation in Gujarat and Gram Sansad in Bihar. WHEELS aims to create 10,000 telemedicine centers over the next three years, expanding to cover several more states.
WHEELS invites individuals and organizations to come forward and offer the priceless gift of healthcare. A $1,000 contribution will ensure that an underserved rural community in India has potential for lifelong access to quality and affordable healthcare. This is a unique opportunity for alumni and community members to witness the remarkable effects of technology and philanthropy, making a lasting difference in hundreds of lives for generations to come.
We urge all of you with an interest in supporting WHEELS' efforts to visit the WHEELS website at www.wheelsglobal.org and explore the 'Get Involved' section, to be part of the WHEELS journey.
The author is the Marketing and Communications Manager, WHEELS Global Foundation.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)
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