By Madhusudhan Rao
Political philosopher Plato rightly said, ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’
Covid-19 wreaked havoc in all sectors and people’s life in general. There were months of uncertainty in India and globally. This led to the adoption and acceptance of technological innovations to stimulate behavioral change in people against the deadly virus. How so?
Despite the Covid-induced social isolation and lockdowns, access to technology made healthcare services available in the remotest corners of India. This provided newer opportunities to connect communities and drive behavioral change in people.
In India, technology helped streamline the healthcare system, reduce the burden on hospitals and ensured patients received the care they needed. For instance, telemedicine allowed patients to consult with doctors remotely, through video conferencing or phone calls during lockdowns. Many hospitals and clinics switched to an online system for booking appointments, reducing the need for patients to physically visit the facility.
Wearable devices and apps were used to remotely monitor the health of Covid-19 patients, allowing doctors to keep track of their condition without needing to be physically present. Many private hospitals used Artificial Intelligence (AI) for early detection of Covid-19, predicting patient outcomes and making medical decisions.
Moreover, technology improved the flow of information and went on to become one of the primary enablers of behavioral change and interactions. Healthcare providers made extensive use of interactive videos, animations, games and simulations to spread the messages of hand washing, sanitizing, wearing masks and social distancing.
Infographics, animated videos, memes, digital posters helped communities envision the consequences of their positive and negative behaviors during the pandemic.
Technologies that revolutionized community engagement
We’ve seen ‘Digital India’ become a reality over the last 10 years. According to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, there are over 692 million active internet users in the country. The same report finds that much of the growth in internet users continues to be driven by rural India. According to 2021 Statista data, 744 million users accessed the internet via mobile phones. This mobile revolution coupled with internet availability has cut across urban-rural and rich-poor segments, giving everyone access to technology.
To give you an example, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat, is a technological game-changer that has made quality medical facilities available to the country’s poor. Thanks to this 100% paperless and cashless healthcare program, 50 crore Indians have got access to 5-lakh worth of annual insurance cover.
Similarly, the launch of Aarogya Setu, an app to monitor the pandemic and Covid vaccination in the country, is another example of technology helping communities. The app was also hailed by World Health Organization (WHO) for helping city public departments identify Covid clusters and monitoring vaccination availability. Cashing in on its success, the Indian government is now working on expanding the app’s utility by offering Unified Health Interface (UHI) under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission to help bring healthcare facilities, professionals from different sectors and people together.
Gamification fostering sustained behavioral change
A 2021 McKinsey report indicates that telehealth use saw a 38X increase from the pre-Covid baseline. Data analytics, pictorial presentations, short films and gamification help people make healthier decisions and follow regular health hygiene routines.
Using voice-based services, personalized mobile reminders, communication through IVR (Interactive Voice Response), access to physicians, messaging services and tracking data about real health behavior and action undertaken, are all examples of how mobile technology continues to foster a constructive transition toward adopting healthy preventative measures.
Several public health behavior-change campaigns have included gamification to boost the vaccination drive and impart healthy hygiene behaviors in communities. Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Initiative), Microsoft India partnered with The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to deploy a cloud-hosted, mobile-first community learning platform-Project Sangam to train 110,000+ municipal functionaries on best sanitation practices across 4000 plus cities in India. Similarly, for polio eradication, a 2015 study published in Games for Health Journal showed a lot of promise in how hands-on interactive games could help enhance public interest in global health, and this was more suited for those individuals with minimal previous knowledge or involvement in global health activities.
Numerous studies have shown how gamification, meaning the application of game playing in different activities, increases intrinsic motivation. It has become one of the most sought-after methods for changing health-related behaviors. Further, gamification can help in the prevention and protection from communicable & non-communicable diseases in areas such as routine immunizations, hygiene practices, hand washing with soap, and nutritional habits. An NGO ‘Avarutti Samiti’ is creating awareness of healthy hygiene behaviours amongst government schoolchildren through the famous ‘Snakes and ladders’ (Saanp-Sidi) game. The game was developed as an innovative learning tool that promotes Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Gamification in healthcare can be used to engage patients and motivate them to adopt healthy behaviours. This can include using mobile apps or wearable devices that track physical activity or incorporating elements of game design into patient education and therapy. For example, virtual reality (VR) and interactive simulations can be used to help patients learn and manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Additionally, gamification can be used to motivate patients to stick to their medication regimens, attend follow-up appointments and take steps that are critical to maintaining good health.
Embracing the ‘new normal’
Digital and technological advancements in healthcare will continue to drive the industry. Now, with 5G technology expected to disrupt industries, smarter and more advanced healthcare solutions will only evolve as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data sciences around MedTech gain momentum, showcasing the possibilities of benefiting health facilities, physicians, and patients.
Leveraging interactive technologies to bring about behavioral change at a large scale is a prodigious idea and will be both effective and inexpensive. In a country like ours, which is so vast and diverse, it’s not only a practical solution, which is easily replicable but is also far-reaching in terms of impact. The natural slant towards accepting and adopting technology earlier in form of television and increasingly by way of mobile phones powered by the internet will be a game changer.
Covid-19 has accelerated the adoption of technology in healthcare practices in unprecedented ways and there’s no going back. Technology’s tools and techniques are going to be a sustainable method to encourage community-wide behavioral change in health practices.
(The author is a Executive Director and General Manager – South Asia (Beauty & Personal Care) at Hindustan Unilever. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
