Micro Health Clinics: The Next Decade’s Health Trend?

As the Healthcare Reform Debate rages on here in the US, in other countries healthcare is being transformed by a new crop of social entrepreneurs popping up around the globe. This trend, micro health clinics, boast high-quality, affordable and accessible healthcare in rural areas of countries where income and health disparities can have devastating effects on the population.

We have previously posted highlights of the Healthpoint Services E Health Points here on AshokaTech, and there are many other models doing similar work.
Here is a list of four other initiatives using innovative business models and technologies to increase access to basic healthcare services around the globe.

Sehat First, Pakistan. Entrepreneur: Shahida Saleem.
Sehat First aims to set up 500 franchised tele-health centers across Pakistan by 2012. Their model combines a health center, pharmacy, tele-center and a general store for consumer goods, capitalizing on the synergies created when offering multiple services in one location. Using an IP-based video phone as shown in the picture above, patients have access to consultations with doctors and specialists without having to leave their local community. Sehat First has three pilot clinics outside of Karachi, and is planning to expand. The list of corporate partners working with Sehat First is impressive and both d.o.t.z Technologies and the Acumen Fund have invested in the venture.

Containers2Clinics, Boston, USA. Entrepreneur: Elizabeth Sheehan.
Containers2Clinics, or C2C, is repurposing standard shipping containers into standardized primary health clinics. The below video is quite powerful in demonstrating the high quality infrastructure that can result from refurbishing the containers.  This model can be used as a stand-alone health facility or can be used to complement and improve existing facilities. They’ll be piloting the initiative in the Dominican Republic and will look to expand from there.

ICTPH, Tamil, Nadu, India. Entrepreneur: Dr. Zeena Johar
These nurse-managed rural micro-health centers provide diagnostic and preventative care in conjunction with the community health workers in Tamil Nadu, India. Run by the President of IKP’s Center for Technologies in Public Health (ICTPH), Dr. Zeena Johar, already they seem to be having much success. Using a combination of point-of-care diagnostics, electronic health records, innovative health financing mechanisms, and partnerships ICTPH is well suited to provide quality care in rural areas.

Carego LiveWell Health Clinics, Kenya. Entrepreneur: Liza Kimbo
Using a hub and spoke system, Carego Livewell is operating high quality clinics in Kenya in the low-income suburbs of Nairobi. Soon to establish the spokes that will stem from the “Anchor Clinic”, or hub, the model will provide high quality, specialized care in an efficient and affordable way. Find out more about Carego Livewell here.

These examples, combined with the Healthpoint Services model, are evidence that the future of healthcare will focus on three key themes:

-    Local access to consumers
-    High quality services patients are willing to pay for
-    Combining technology and economies of scale to keep prices affordable

I wouldn’t be surprised if over the next decade, micro health clinics become increasingly more commonplace.