The pandemic year 2020 has made all countries look at only two sectors for investment and improvement. Healthcare and Education.

Let us first look at the healthcare sector, what ails it and how can Digital technologies be an enabler.

Healthcare spends by the emerging economies is poor. The availability of skilled doctors is a challenge and the system is flogged by inadequate infrastructure. Improvement in this sector is long drawn and the system was exposed by the raging pandemic in 2020.

During one of my studies on healthcare, I was chatting with a senior medical superintendent of a reputed hospital. She was very articulate in her short-term goal. “I want technology to help my doctors to see more patients per day.” Her deputy, who was seated next to her, said, “I want the best medical care to reach the remote areas of my country.”

The Logistics industry practices hold the solution to this requirement. Many courier companies have perfected the hub and spoke model of delivery and it is the leading benchmark across all sectors. 

What is Hub and spoke model?

This model delivers goods in the least amount of time in the most cost-effective way. The goods move along the spoke and reach the main hub. For example, to move from one point of the spoke to another, the goods have to traverse to the hub (shown in red) first and then to its destination. 

A hub and spoke model for handling cardiac care

The hub and spoke model along with remote diagnostics is a reality in many countries, however some emerging economies have a policy impediment. 

The country’s policy should permit remote consultations and the insurance policy should state that. There is a huge opportunity for countries to outsource remote diagnostics to augment the shortage of trained doctors. But for this to happen, the country’s policy should allow foreign-trained doctors to practice in their countries.