Value and not Technology

Recently I came across an article on Peru’s innovation drive which narrates an exciting story of building a network hospital with simple concepts like investor-doctors, mobile hospitals with old buses, bringing hospitals to the patients and allowing patients to choose physicians to consult.

In my view this is a true example of “Innovation”. It is related to delivering to the needy and directly benefiting a cause. And let us look at the data-point ....50,000 poor patients a day with a waiting time max 30-45mins with a charge a meagre $2.8 per patient.

This innovation in delivering healthcare services to the poor Peruvians came from a simple thought from passionate doctors who questioned themselves as to how the poor patient would like to avail the service.....at his location, at a price that he can afford and at a service level which is not compromised because of low cost.

It is somehow parallel to the EMRI launched in India (Andhra Pradesh). The major difference that I see is the investor-physician.

Nevertheless the moral of the story is that we often link innovation to technology or a game changing product. Truly speaking the innovation lies in the process of creating value from the perspective of consumer. And it is more important that the value is delivered to the consumer in a way that the consumer likes to receive.

Technology may or may not be part of this process. If it is, then it acts only as a catalyst.