Healthcare app helps connect doctors and patients

The app increases access to medical care by helping patients to find affordable doctors and arrange appointments more easily

Spotted: Around the world, it is becoming more and more difficult to see a doctor. Patients without health insurance, in particular, have very little access to help when it comes to finding the best-suited, most reliable, or cheapest healthcare options. It can also be difficult for patients without medical insurance to transfer medical records from one setting to another A new app, eDocine, has been designed as a solution to these problems.

The eDocine app works as a remote healthcare management and patient database and is designed to be used by both patients and doctors. It includes a search tool to help patients find a specialist or GP, live remote monitoring of vital signs, scheduling, chat, and video call tools, as well as information on a wide range of medical conditions. For doctors, the platform offers increased visibility, encrypted patient information, and an interactive information feed.

The app began when a Jamaican doctor realised that patients were putting off getting medical help because it was difficult for them to schedule and afford visits to a walk-in clinic. He realised that making it easier and cheaper for patients to connect with doctors would help patients get the help they needed. There is no fee for either doctors or patients to use the service.

According to eDocine, the app “was designed to dramatically improve the overall traditional healthcare experience. We aim to augment the current healthcare experience where long wait times, high standardised pricing, and inefficient recording/communication of patient data is considered the norm. … By utilising remote management and building an efficient patient database, eDocine propels healthcare into the 21st century.”

Across health care, digital technology is speeding up access to a variety of treatment options. From the use of AI to scan for signs of illness to platforms that integrate health insurance, telemedicine, and healthcare facilities, health tech is increasingly making patients’ lives easier.