RETHINKING MOBILE HEALTHCARE IN INDIA
Systems Design | UX Research
Clients
Leap
Government of Chhattisgarh, India
Year
2023
Role
Student Researcher and Designer
Context
In remote areas of Chhattisgarh, India, accessing healthcare is challenging due to various factors like distance, infrastructure, and affordability. Haat Bazaar Clinics offer basic medical services at weekly markets called Bazaars, but face operational and accessibility issues, limiting their effectiveness in serving tribal communities.
Currently, medications given to patients look similar and cause confusion on site among patients regarding dosage.
Approach
Currently, Mobile Units are only used to transport healthcare staff to rural locations. The rest of the time, they sit idly.
As part of a team of five, I conducted interviews, analyzed government documents, and created system maps. Using frameworks like causal loop diagrams, we assessed the current system and identified areas for improvement, ultimately proposing a descriptive and prescriptive approach to address existing gaps comprehensively.
To learn about the current system and find areas of improvement. We navigated the project by carrying out the project in 2 sections, mainly, descriptive and prescriptive.
In the descriptive sections, we used frameworks for sense-making government documents and the actual reality of the field. Later, in the second, prescriptive section, we found areas of intervention to RETHINK the system which led to the identification of missing points and some solutions to make healthcare in rural Chhattisgarh more accessible, equitable, and safe for people.
Impact
We identified key issues including venue accessibility, provider engagement, and data management. Our proposal introduced a hub and spoke model, advocating for Village Medical Hubs and Satellite Medical Stations to improve accessibility and resource allocation, fostering a more robust healthcare infrastructure in underserved regions.
Reflections
Our work emphasized sensitivity to diverse perspectives and cultural awareness, crucial for effective project implementation. Taking into account human and non-human agents in the system along with methods and biases that stem from these methods can lead to actions and solutions that result in asymmetries, injustice, and oppression.
Collaborating with team members from different backgrounds (from Africa, China, India, and Japan) highlighted the importance of understanding local contexts in project development, enriching our approach and solutions.
Conclusion
Our project aimed to revolutionize healthcare in rural Chhattisgarh by proposing innovative solutions to systemic challenges.
By leveraging existing infrastructure and cultural insights, we envisioned a more accessible and equitable healthcare system, empowering tribal communities to access essential medical services.
Our journey underscored the significance of cultural awareness and systemic innovation in driving impactful interventions for underserved communities, laying the groundwork for sustainable healthcare solutions in similar contexts.
Would you like to learn more? Check out the report and the presentation below.
