Submitted
2024 Global Health Equity Challenge

Phygital Model breaks Rural Telemedicine barriers for Specialty Care.

Team Leader
Chandramouli Samatham
Solution Overview & Team Lead Details
Our Organization
Caare Healthtech Services Private Limited
What is the name of your solution?
Phygital Model breaks Rural Telemedicine barriers for Specialty Care.
Provide a one-line summary of your solution.
Delivering specialized healthcare directly to those who need it most, precisely where they are located.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
  • India
What type of organization is your solution team?
  • Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?

Access to specialized healthcare remains a major hurdle for marginalized communities, both in India and around the world. These communities, often defined by factors like poverty, geographical isolation, ethnicity, or social exclusion, face significant barriers to receiving the specialized care they need.

India:

  • Over 70% of specialists practice in urban areas, while a large majority of the population (68%) resides in rural areas. This creates a vast geographical disparity in access.
  • According to a 2018 study, there are only 0.7 doctors per 1,000 people in India, significantly lower than the WHO recommendation of 2.3 per 1,000. This shortage disproportionately affects rural and marginalized communities.
  • Out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure accounts for 60% of all health spending in India, placing a heavy burden on marginalized communities who already struggle with financial constraints.

Globally:

  • An estimated 5 billion people worldwide lack access to essential health services, with marginalized communities facing the brunt of this gap.
  • According to the World Health Organization, half of the world's population do not have regular access to essential medicines.
  • Chronic diseases are on the rise in developing countries, and marginalized communities often lack access to the specialist care and treatment they need for proper management.

Consequences of Limited Specialist Care:

  • Higher risks of mortality and morbidity from preventable and treatable conditions.
  • Increased reliance on inadequate primary care or traditional medicine, potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment.
  • Lower life expectancy and worse overall health outcomes for marginalized communities.
What is your solution?
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Caare's Phygital (Physical + Digital) Clinic: Bringing Specialist Care Closer to You

Imagine a clinic that combines the best of both worlds: a friendly doctor you can see in person or a health worker is sent to your home from the nearest clinic to access top specialists, all under one roof. That's exactly what Caare's Phygital Clinics offer!

Here's how it works:

1. Walk into a Caare Clinic: Our clinics are conveniently located in rural communities. You'll be greeted by a friendly primary care physician who can address your immediate needs.
2. Need a Specialist? No Problem!: If your condition requires specialized care, our doctor can connect you virtually with a top specialist, right there in the clinic. You don't have to travel long distances or wait for appointments!
3. Technology at Your Service: We use video conferencing technology to connect you with the specialist. The on-site doctor can assist and translate if needed, ensuring clear communication.
4. Rapid Diagnostics: Many clinics have essential medical equipment for on-site testing. This allows for faster diagnosis and treatment decisions.
5. Affordable Care: Caare understands the financial constraints faced by rural communities. We offer our services at a nominal fee, making quality healthcare accessible to everyone.
6. Health worker home visits feasible: Caare's Phygital model could extend beyond clinics with trained health workers potentially conducting home visits for initial assessments, chronic disease management, and post-operative care in remote areas.

Benefits:

• Reduced Travel: Forget long, expensive trips to see specialists!
• Faster Access: Get the care you need sooner through telemedicine.
• Comprehensive Care: Combine in-person attention with specialist consultations.
• Affordable: Pay a nominal fee for quality healthcare.

Caare's Phygital Clinics are revolutionizing healthcare delivery in rural areas, making specialist care accessible and affordable for all.

Please find the link below for a detailed demonstration of the platform.

Caare Product Demo

Caare Dental AI Solution Demo

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
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68261_Caare%20Senior%20Care_1440x810.jpg

Caare's Phygital Clinics: Empowering Rural Communities and the Urban Poor

Caare's Phygital Clinic model directly targets two underserved populations:

1. Residents of Rural Communities:
These individuals often face significant challenges in accessing quality healthcare:
• Limited Specialists: Rural areas typically have a shortage of specialists, forcing residents to travel long distances for consultations, incurring significant time and financial burdens.
• Geographical Dispersion: Distances between villages and healthcare facilities can be substantial, making regular checkups and specialist consultations difficult.
• Financial Constraints: Out-of-pocket healthcare expenses can be crippling for rural populations with limited financial resources.

2. The Urban Poor:
Though residing in urban centers, the urban poor also face challenges in accessing quality healthcare:
• Overburdened Public Healthcare: Existing public healthcare facilities in urban areas are often overcrowded and under-resourced, leading to long wait times and limited access to specialists.
• High Costs of Private Care: Private healthcare can be expensive, often exceeding the financial capacity of the urban poor.

How Caare Bridges the Gap:
Caare's Phygital Clinics address these challenges by providing:
• Accessibility: Conveniently located clinics bring healthcare closer to rural communities and urban poor neighborhoods.
• Specialist Care Through Telemedicine: Eliminates the need for travel by connecting patients with specialists remotely, reducing costs and time spent.
• On-Site Primary Care: Provides immediate attention, routine checkups, and basic treatment at the clinic.
• Affordability: Nominal fees ensure essential healthcare services are accessible to all.

Impact on Lives:
By addressing these challenges, Caare's Phygital Clinics directly improve the lives of rural communities and the urban poor:
• Improved Health Outcomes: Early diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases through specialist consultations and on-site care.
• Reduced Financial Burden: Lower costs due to eliminated travel and affordable clinic fees.
• Empowerment: Increased awareness of health issues and access to preventative care.
• Reduced Treatment Delays: Faster access to specialists improves treatment timelines and potentially life expectancy.

Caare creates a ripple effect, impacting not only individuals but also entire communities by promoting a culture of preventive healthcare and improving overall well-being.

How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?

Caare: A Team Rooted in Rural Communities, Delivering for Rural Communities

At Caare, we believe our unique team composition and deep understanding of rural realities position us exceptionally well to deliver the Phygital Clinic solution to the target population. Here's why:

1. Team with Rural Roots:

• Leadership: Our team leads, comes from a rural backgrounds like Jeypore, Odisha, Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh and understands firsthand the healthcare challenges faced by these communities. This lived experience translates into a deep empathy for the target population and a commitment to developing solutions that truly meet their needs.
• Diverse Team: Our team is comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds, including those with rural roots as well as healthcare professionals who have worked extensively in rural areas. This diversity of experience allows us to consider various perspectives and design solutions that resonate with the target population.

2. Community-Centric Approach:

• Needs Assessment: We don't operate in a vacuum. Before establishing Phygital Clinics in a new location, we conduct thorough needs assessments in collaboration with local communities. This involves community meetings, focus groups, and surveys to understand specific healthcare concerns and preferences.

• Local Recruitment: We prioritize hiring local healthcare workers whenever possible. This creates job opportunities within the communities we serve, fosters a sense of ownership, and ensures our staff understands the local language and cultural context.

• Community Advisory Boards: We establish Community Advisory Boards in each location. These boards, consisting of local residents, provide ongoing feedback on clinic operations, ensuring our services remain relevant and culturally appropriate.

3. Continuous Feedback and Improvement:

• Patient Feedback Mechanisms: We have robust patient feedback mechanisms in place. This allows us to gather feedback on clinic experience, specialist consultations, and overall satisfaction. This information is used to continuously improve our services.
• Data-Driven Approach: We leverage data collected through our digital platform to identify trends and adjust our services to better serve the evolving needs of the communities.

By combining our team's deep understanding of rural realities with a strong commitment to community engagement and feedback-driven improvement, Caare ensures the Phygital Clinic model remains relevant, sustainable, and effective in addressing the specific needs of rural communities and the urban poor.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?
  • Increase access to and quality of health services for medically underserved groups around the world (such as refugees and other displaced people, women and children, older adults, and LGBTQ+ individuals).
Which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals does your solution address?
  • 3. Good Health and Well-Being
  • 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • 10. Reduced Inequalities
  • 17. Partnerships for the Goals
What is your solution’s stage of development?
  • Growth
Please share details about why you selected the stage above.

Bridging the Gap in Rural Healthcare: Caare isDelivering Impact Now

Caare's Phygital Clinic model is actively improving healthcare access and outcomes for rural communities in India. Here's how we're making a difference:

Impact Beyond the Pilot Stage:
• Operational Clinics: We've moved beyond the pilot stage, with 2 established clinics in rural Kerala currently serving the community.
• Nearly 3,000 Beneficiaries Served: Our clinics have already provided essential healthcare services to nearly 3,000 individuals in these communities. 
• Data-Driven Improvement: We leverage data from our digital platform to track clinic usage, patient outcomes, and identify trends. This data fuels continuous improvement and ensures that our services adapt to evolving community needs.

Building Trust and Transparency:
• ABDM Certified: We are a National Health Authority of India-accredited company, and our clinics are certified under ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission). This certification fosters trust and allows us to create secure health IDs for patients, enabling record linkage and retrieval with patient consent.

Community-Centric Approach:
• Needs Assessment: Before establishing clinics, we conduct comprehensive needs assessments in collaboration with local communities. This ensures our services address their specific healthcare concerns and preferences.
• Local Recruitment: We prioritize hiring local healthcare workers whenever possible. This creates job opportunities within the communities we serve, fosters a sense of ownership, and guarantees our staff understands the local language and cultural context.
• Community Advisory Boards: Established Community Advisory Boards in each location provide ongoing feedback on clinic operations. This ensures our services remain relevant and culturally appropriate.

Sustainable Healthcare Model:
• Financial viability: We've developed a robust and sustainable healthcare revenue model designed specifically for marginalized communities. This model proves that profitability is achievable with low investment requirements, making it a promising solution for wider healthcare access.

Looking Forward:
By building on successes in existing clinics, Caare aims to reach a count of 5 established clinics by May 2024 and also reach a minimum of 100 clinics by the end of the end of the financial year in March 2025. This expansion will bring our Phygital clinic model to more rural communities, empowering residents and improving their access to quality healthcare.

Why are you applying to Solve?

Caare is excited to apply to Solve because we believe the program offers a unique opportunity to connect with partners who can help us overcome key challenges and accelerate our mission of delivering quality healthcare to underserved communities.

Specific Challenges and How Solve Can Help:
• Geographical Expansion: Our goal is to establish Phygital Clinics across a wider range of rural communities in India. Solve can connect us with partners who have expertise in scaling healthcare delivery models in rural settings.
• Technological Innovation: We're constantly seeking ways to improve our digital platform and integrate innovative telehealth technologies. Solve's network could introduce us to relevant technology partners or potential funding sources for R&D.
• Market Awareness: Building awareness about Caare's services within rural communities is crucial. Solve's mentorship and networking opportunities could connect us with NGOs or communication specialists who can help develop effective outreach strategies.
• Policy Advocacy: We believe Phygital Clinics can be a game-changer in rural healthcare access. Solve's platform can connect us with policymakers and healthcare organizations to advocate for policies that support the adoption of this model.

Beyond Funding:
While financial support is always welcome, Caare recognizes that Solve offers more than just grants. We value the program's emphasis on mentorship, networking, and access to a diverse range of expertise. These non-monetary benefits are essential for a growing social enterprise like Caare.

Shared Vision for Impact:
By participating in Solve, Caare aims to connect with partners who share our vision of a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable, and equitable for all. We believe that through collaboration and shared expertise, we can create a lasting positive impact on the lives of millions in rural communities.

In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?
  • Business Model (e.g. product-market fit, strategy & development)
  • Financial (e.g. accounting practices, pitching to investors)
  • Legal or Regulatory Matters
  • Product / Service Distribution (e.g. delivery, logistics, expanding client base)
  • Public Relations (e.g. branding/marketing strategy, social and global media)
Who is the Team Lead for your solution?
Chandramouli Samatham - Founder & CEO of Caare
More About Your Solution
Your Team
Your Business Model & Funding
Solution Team:
Chandramouli Samatham
Chandramouli Samatham
Founder & CEO
Gopa Tota
Gopa Tota
Cofounder
Tota Deepa Swamy
Tota Deepa Swamy
CoFounder