Kenyan startup Snark Health is helping patients cut healthcare costs using an application that monetizes their data and connects them with doctors using blockchain technology.
A third of the proceeds from the sale of user data is stored as so-called Hippocratic coin (HTC) which can be converted to mobile Money and pay for healthcare expenses as needed.
Developer Edwin Lubanga says user privacy is protected. The patient’s data has to go through a de-identification process first to protect patients privacy. Following all the regulations and compliance standards as indicated by Kenya’s data protection and privacy act is very key to Snark Health.
Additionally, data monetization only happens when patients and doctors opt-in and higher benefits for patients and docs if they opt-in.
The earnings are split in 3 ways: Snark Health, doctor and patient. If they don’t opt-in, they can use the platform for simply virtual healthcare consultations.
“The algorithm only picks out specifically what data customers are requesting, this could be in the form of the type of drugs being sold in northern Kenya or wants to investigate a specific type of disease and the platform was able to capture this. Only the analytics that are the one kicked out and this is the one that we sell to the data customer,” explains Eng. Lubanga.
Lubanga says they have attracted more than 4,000 users since their launch last year and 300 Kenyan doctors like Karen Muthembwa.
Dr. Muthembwa says that the app, which also gives doctors a third of the sale of their data, has also boosted her earnings.
“I can book my patient anytime I want, including at night. I can say between 5 and 8 p.m, I have this time and I get my patients booked at that time, so it’s easy for me to manage,” says Dr. Muthembwa.
Medical researchers say too many across Africa lack access to affordable health care because of poverty and poor infrastructure.
Users like Stacy Kwamboka hope that the technology can put medicine within reach for more people like her.
“I made an appointment that was to start 10 minutes after. It was quite fast. The doctor made the call, I was able to explain how I was feeling, the doctor was able to also make some follow-up questions and prescribe medication for me,” adds Kwanboka.
Snark Health is one of scores of startups featured in February at the Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi to seek funding for the innovations.
Finding investors for technology startups is becoming easier, says director Andrew Fastnedge.
“We have some people who pitched live on stage on Wednesday and got funding on Thursday. So I think African technology is super exciting, I’m seeing a lot of interest from around the world.”
Kenyan officials are supporting tech innovators like Snark Health.
With an online platform that attracts venture capitalist or VCs
“So far, we have 1,200 users on the platform, we’ve been able to see connections, people requesting to connect with innovators, potential investors, about 60 connections. That means that we will start seeing deals happening very soon,” says the Kenya National Innovation Agency Manager, Ms Agnes Tsuma.
While the cost of data has lowered the rollout of mobile technology in remote parts of Africa, those costs are going down.
Snark Health says turning the tables for users to benefit from sale of the data will only help to speed up and spread access to healthcare services for all.
Patientients can join Snark Health app using the link https://bit.ly/snarkpatientapp or dial *483*090# to connect with health experts.
For healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, clinical officers and other healthcare professionals, the link is https://bit.ly/snarkdoctorapp
For further questions reach out to Snark Health Team via: hello@snarkhealth.com.
(STORY COURTESY: Victoria Amunga for VOA News Nairobi).