Policies key to deployment of healthcare technologies

A server room. Modern hospitals need proactive information technology policies to boost innovations in the healthcare sector. Fotosearch 

By  Mbugua Njihia

The health ecosystem in Kenya, like many other sectors, faces its own unique challenges more so when trying to build a technology based business that addresses the needs of this particular vertical.

Having been involved in a number of initiatives in this space, I have experienced firsthand some of these stumbling blocks and have thought through some possible steps to manage them.

The first challenge is our socialisation, where from an early age we do not interact openly on health matters unless and until it is necessary, especially when we are ill and in need of urgent medical intervention.

Mitigating this negative socialisation would increase acceptance of technological innovations that are consumer facing. They range from those that disseminate information, those that track treatments and interventions, to the medical devices that monitor well being, therefore, allowing them to scale to levels that will unlock profitability.

In the larger scheme of things, legislation and policy is important to support any worthwhile uptake of innovative services. This is simply because the health of a nation should be the prerogative of any government. Adoption and sensitisation would be much easier with a push from the top.

While some may differ with this view, in my opinion, elements like data legislation, standards for apps or medical devices, standards for electronic medical records must be developed and adopted to provide a spine for innovation.

The Kenyatta National Hospital information technology masterplan is expected to take the form of public private partnerships with a total estimated cost of $50 million is the deployment to watch.

Health is like geography, very broad and the tech opportunity lies in the niche. When the entire ecosystem is mapped, it is impossible to be the singular stand alone de facto platform.

One could choose to specialise in data security or messaging for the health sector or mobile application development aligned to certain prescribed standards, or simply tech support for the current and new hospitals and facilities being created — having a thorough understanding of what has been deployed, or is being implemented inline with the ICT health masterplan.

Patience is key if looking to tap profit in healthcare solution provision. It is a long game, but companies and start-ups can serve a ready B2B market as the larger opportunity for the mass market opens up. Business model innovation is critical as well.

And technology play does not mean that you have to be involved in the direct delivery of services to the patient. It could be via proxy on a bundled service offered by a larger entity with both access to capital to push for adoption as well as direct market access.

Njihia is CEO of Symbiotic. Twitter - @mbuguanjihia