Quality healthcare and counselling through video technology

doctHERs is a novel health care platform that connects female doctors to millions of underserved patients, including those with disabilities, in real-time while leveraging online technology. doctHERs overcomes sociocultural barriers that tie women to their homes, and at the same times provides access to quality health care.

Problems Targeted

In Pakistan, the lack of political will, poor commitment in fulfilling international obligations, and a shortage of finances are among the reasons that physically challenged people are deprived of their basic rights. They have virtually no access to trained and qualified doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, medical social workers, and rehabilitation psychologists.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

doctHERsTM aims to provide quality health care and rehabilitation counselling to disabled people through qualified doctors and other health providers in low-income and remote rural areas where such facilities are not available. The project makes use of technology in the form of video consultation to connect a home- based doctor to a remotely located patient through state-of-the-art software via a nurse assisted platform. A live video consultation allows doctHERsTM and patients to connect in real time, aided by a trained paramedic at the patient’s end. By extending the health care system through ICT and by making the best use of all available doctors and staff, a scalable health care system can be developed that will become a model of the care delivery system of the future.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

doctHERsTM is exploring partnerships with private corporate organizations and social enterprises that already have a network of clinics established in Pakistan, thus helping to reduce setup costs. doctHERsTM would then need only to provide training to the available medical staff and install the necessary hardware and software. Collaboration options with the government are also being explored.