d-HWC

LEHS|WISH Digital Health and Wellness Centers (d-HWC) are envisaged to bring preventive, promotive, basic curative and rehabilitative healthcare solutions closer to the communities. With increased focus on health promotion and wellness, these centers help deliver all twelve essential primary care services to the last mile. d-HWCs are completely aligned with Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) 2012, and are modeled as per the National Health Policy 2017. They are designed to increase health system responsiveness, address healthcare needs through skilled primary healthcare teams, and empower communities to adopt healthy behaviors.

LEHS|WISH envisaged the need for digitization of health services and, thus, came up with the idea of Digital Health and Wellness Centers (d-HWCs) by leveraging innovation and technology. These centers address the systemic primary healthcare gaps and provide digitally equipped healthcare facilities to the marginalized populations in the remotest of geographies. These centers address the holistic healthcare needs of the communities, taking care of eighty percent of the diseases at zero cost, thereby addressing the accessibility, availability and affordability gaps and providing quality healthcare at the doorstep.

The model is supported by the government in terms of human resources, supplies and infrastructure; while LEHS|WISH supports in the delivery of the twelve essential primary care services. The digitization of HWCs ensures effective healthcare services through the combination of telehealth, Electronic Health Record, ePrescription, medicine dispensing, essential Point of Care Devices (PoCDs), digital inventory management tool to reduce stock outs and pilferages, and provides linkages to India’s Universal Insurance Scheme – PM-JAY. This model is the recipient of the prestigious “Innovation in Healthcare” Award from the Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan during the Arogya Manthan Summit in 2019.

The telehealth solution at d-HWC is an interface for teleconsultation that supports the health workers and the local community. The two pronged approach of consultations with General as well as Specialist practitioners, e.g., Rural Medical Practitioners (RMPs), helps in deciding a quick course of treatment, thereby reducing the burden on secondary as well as tertiary healthcare services. This helps in expanding access, universality and addressing the primary healthcare needs of the entire population in the area.

Through the Swasthya ATM, an automated medicine dispensing machine, increased number of medicines are provided as per the Essential Drug List (EDL) for primary healthcare even in the absence of the pharmacist. It works through QR code on an ePrescription, fulfilling legal adherence and helps in reducing out of pocket expenses (OOPEs) for the communities.

Electronic Health Records (EHR) are becoming a critical requirement for the health system. At d-HWC, these records help in capturing the socio-demographic and clinical history of a patient, which further enables informed decision making, enables provisional diagnosis and enhances access to appropriate cure. EHR can help in generating the epidemiological profile for the population and has the potential to be linked to higher healthcare research needs for futuristic health sector planning, management and, thus, creating an impact on healthcare financing.

At the d-HWC, healthcare service providers can raise concerns and highlight issues within the facility through a digital ticketing system. Poor infrastructure, weak monitoring and supervision, lack of manpower, and geographical barriers have always posed hindrance in strengthening the primary healthcare system. Through the digital ticketing system, the issues are directed on category basis for immediate resolution. This helps in mid-course correction as well as optimal utilization of resources within the center.

Currently, LEHS|WISH operates 100 d-HWCs across four states, i.e., Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam.