NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Sickness is a great equalizer — it hits the poor and the rich uniformly. While most startups in the healthcare sector have been on a frenzy to tap the urban markets, a San Francisco-based firm has devised a method to successfully cater to the bottom of the pyramid at scale.

Evolko Systems has designed a technology solution for patients with chronic conditions that necessitate extended periods of treatment. Patients with diseases like cancer and weak hearts are a needy lot, requiring the constant attention of specialist doctors. It’s expensive and exhausting, which is perhaps why Evolko’s solution targeted at rural India has gained immediate traction.

In the six months since launch, at least 1,700 specialists have been monitoring more than 1.5 lakh chronic patients across India through Evolko’s platform.

“From personal experience, I know the requirements of patients with chronic conditions are very different. They are constantly in touch with their doctors and get anxious if they can’t immediately report symptoms,” Evolko chief executive Amit Khare said.

Chronic diseases like arthritis and diabetes are as prevalent in the cities as in the villages. But specialists in rural areas are rare. Spotting this gap, Evolko piloted an online-offline model with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna: It stationed 120 telemedicine officers at village councils with the hospital in Patna, Bihar’s capital city, as the nodal centre.

Patients first register at the hospital and visit specialist doctors for diagnosis and treatment. Post that, they can visit the telemedicine officers in their villages to routinely record and relay their vitals to a panel of specialist doctors through Evolko’s app. They can speak with the doctors as well to explain their condition, paying Rs 50 a visit.