The Abia State Government identified a critical need to enhance healthcare accessibility for its residents, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to skilled medical professionals was limited.
Traditional healthcare delivery methods were often hampered by geographical barriers, high costs, and long wait times, which left many individuals without timely medical consultations.
In response to these challenges, the state government launched the “Dial-A-Doctor-Direct Initiative,” aimed at leveraging technology to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare providers, ensuring that residents could access quality medical care regardless of their location.
Product Design & Development: As the Prime Recipient, our team was tasked with designing and implementing the “Dial-A-Doctor-Direct Initiative,” also known as Dial-a-Doc 2.0. This telehealth solution was developed to facilitate virtual consultations between patients and healthcare providers, significantly improving access to medical services across Abia State. The initiative included the following key components:
Multi-Channel Access: Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD): Provided a simple and cost-effective method for patients without smartphones to access telehealth services by dialing a short code.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Allowed patients to navigate the telehealth system using voice prompts, making it accessible to those with limited literacy.
Web Portal and Mobile App: Offered a more comprehensive telehealth experience, including video consultations, patient records, and appointment scheduling.
Telehealth Platform: The platform enabled real-time communication between patients and healthcare providers, allowing for diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and follow-up consultations without the need for in-person visits.
Stakeholder Engagement: The project involved collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Abia State Government, local health facilities, patients, and healthcare service providers, ensuring that the solution met the needs of all parties involved.
Result:
The Dial-A-Doctor-Direct Initiative has been operational since 2017 and continues to make a significant impact on healthcare delivery in Abia State. Key accomplishments of the project include:
Improved Access to Healthcare: The initiative successfully expanded access to skilled medical personnel, particularly in remote areas, by eliminating the need for patients to travel long distances for consultations.
Reduced Cost of Medical Consultations: By offering virtual consultations, the project significantly lowered the cost of medical care, making it more affordable for residents of Abia State.
The innovative use of a multi-channel approach, including USSD, IVR, web, and mobile platforms, set this project apart from traditional telehealth solutions. This approach ensured that all segments of the population, regardless of their technological literacy or access to advanced devices, could benefit from the service. The ongoing success of the Dial-A-Doctor-Direct Initiative demonstrates the power of technology in transforming healthcare delivery, providing a model that could be replicated in other regions facing similar challenges.
