Pune: Front warriors of COVID-19 now can breathe a sigh as the founder of FIGmd, a Pune based, Google Ventures-backed company that manages healthcare data for 40 per cent of USA Citizens, has launched an application called 'DIGIShield.' This app protects doctors and their patients from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The App will be given free to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and city-based medical practitioners.
How does it work?
Exclusively speaking to Sakaltimes, Sanket Baralay, Founder, Chairman of FIGmid said, “DigiShield has been specially designed to analyse a patient's corona carrier risk. Using proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, infection for both Doctors and Patients is dramatically reduced. Simply put, DIGIShield determines if the patient intending to visit the doctor’s clinic is at a high risk of being COVID-19 carrier or not."
"COVID-19 has made it difficult for people with conditions like diabetes, heart diseases and cancer to get prompt treatment or even basic medical advice. The most vulnerable are the children and the elderly, who need to have safe and effective access to doctors. DigiShield can effectively bridge this gap between healthcare and patients while minimising the collateral impact of the coronavirus," he added.
PMC Commissioner- help to improve health system
PMC Commissioner, Shekhar Gaikwad said, "This app will help to improve the health system of Corporation. We can collect and analyse the history of patients and identify trends. With this application, we will collect data and base on that, we will plan our health policies. Now, the time has come to focus more on the health sector and allot dedicated funds to spend on the improvement of the health system."
Application provides
If a high-risk patient is identified, doctors can have a quick and convenient telemedicine consultation right from within DIGIShield. DIGIShield helps doctors issue electronic prescriptions and collect cashless payments, automatically make appointments and more. All this is done while doctors write prescriptions on their own prescription pads and with zero added effort on doctors and their staff. It's as easy taking a photo - let DIGIShield do all the hard work.
Without doctors’ help; it identifies COVID-19 patients
DigiShiled’s singular focus is to help doctors assess a patient’s Corona Carrier Risk before the patient enters the clinic. A pre-visit AI-powered remote screening is conducted without the Doctor’s involvement which determines a patient’s Corona Carrier Risk (the risk of the patient being a corona carrier). The process takes just two minutes and does not involve the doctor. Application with the help of selfie, tongue selfie and few questions related to health.
How it helps Docs to restart their Clinic with safety?
"Unprecedented times amidst COVID-19 have made Doctors most vulnerable as they are in the front line. Fear of infection has resulted in the healthcare system coming to a grinding halt. Patients are fearful of visiting clinicals due to the risk of the infection. DigiShield will help doctors to restart their clinic without fear and compromising on safety," he claimed.
What's the scenario post-COVID-19?
Sanket said about the post-COVID-19 medical systems, "Access care was a critical problem in India before COVID-19 as there was a mismatch between demand for doctors and their availability. Post COVID-19 and norms of social distancing, doctors availability is likely to decrease as demand continues to increase. COVID has compelled us to challenge the status quo and think outside of the box. "
He confidently said, "By embracing advances in Artificial Intelligence, a bleeding-edge Digital Health Solution like DigiShield can not only restore our healthcare system quickly but also increase access to care as everyone is now comfortable with remote interactions."
"We have made DIGIShield free to help us all zoom to the future. In India, we don't have clinical data so that we cannot provide quality medical services to people. This application will also help to create clinical data of a particular city which will help to analyse the health problems of people as well the city and plan health policies and improve the health system," he added.
