THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It could be one decisive move capable of ending widespread fleecing in the state’s health sector. The state government is exploring the possibility of launching an exclusive app which will provide the details of the health facilities and average amount being charged by various players in the health sector. It will give information on hospitals in the state, providing patients (and their families) with the options. Many startups have evinced interest in developing the app and discussed it with the Health Department.
The move is possible only after the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act’s, 2018, implementation on January 1. The Act stipulates provisional registration of health facilities being provided by various stakeholders in the sector. As per that, data including equipment available in a hospital, doctors’ qualification and charges for each procedure, will be collected and displayed for the public. “The general public can make the comparison and then decide on the best option possible,” said Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan.
The government has an ecosystem for promoting startups in which the departments pitch various ideas to them during interactions.“One such idea proposed by the Health Department was to make an app like MakeMyTrip once the data is available on the public domain. During the interaction, two startups had also shown interest in it,” Sadanandan added. Information on both public and private hospitals will be available in the online repository. Health Minister K K Shailaja said: “After registration of hospital details, we’ll move forward with its procedures making the app a reality.”
At a glance
1 Startup companies set to make the app
2 Public will be able to compare rates, procedure and qualification of doctors
3 State government aims to provide the public safe and high-quality care through the move