IKure Techsoft: Providing Technology Enabled Affordable Health Care in Rural India

Abstract

iKure Techsoft was established in 2010 with the main objective to provide affordable and high quality primary health care to the rural population in India and to build a sustainable for-profit business model. To that end, iKure’s cloud based, and patent pending, Wireless Health Incident Monitoring System (WHIMS) technology along with their hub-and-spoke operating model are central, but also essential to exploit and explore further if iKure is to scale-up. iKure provides primary health care services through three hub clinics and 28 rural health centres (RHCs). Each hub clinic employs between one and up to six medical teams (each consisting of 1 doctor, 1 nurse, 1 paramedic and 2 health workers stationed at the hub) & 1 mobile medical team (1 doctor, 1 paramedic, 2 health workers) for catering to the RHCs). Each medical team manages six RHCs. Paramount in iKure’s health care delivery model is their self-developed software called WHIMS, which is a cloud-based award-winning application that runs on low internet bandwidths. WHIMS allow for (a) centralized monitoring of key metrics such as doctor’s attendance, treatment prescribed, patient record management, pharmacy stock management, and (b) supports effective communication, integration and contact that connects RHCs with hub clinics, but also city-based multi-specialty hospitals with whom iKure has formal tie-ups. iKure, moreover, also works extensively with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Collaboration with local NGOs in the target areas helps to build trust with the rural villagers and their local knowledge and access helps to assess service demand. NGOs also provide the necessary local logistical support and basic infrastructure in the rural areas where iKure works. Moreover, collaboration, for example, with corporate organizations are central as they contribute with part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to support iKure initiatives. At present, iKure is planning to add diagnostic services to its six hub clinics as well as expand its presence in other parts of West Bengal and other states across India. Expanding rural health care services even with the technology support of WHIMS is challenging because, for example, health is a very local issue (due to, among other things, local customs and languages) and it requires investing significant amount of time and resources to build relationship with the rural people as well as collaborators such as NGOs and corporates. The accompanying case describes iKure’s journey so far in terms of understanding: (a) the state of health care and government health care services provided in rural India, (b) the establishment and evolution of the iKure business and health care model, (c) iKure’s operations and health care delivery model including the WHIMS technology solution and hub-and-spoke set-up of operations, (d) the collaborative model which relies on NGOs and private corporates, and (e) finally iKure’s challenges related to scaling-up.