Last year, a user trend study report claimed that on an average, Indian mobile users store up to 32 apps compared to the world’s average of 42, with Facebook and Whats App grabbing the highest number of downloads. But what is interesting and appalling at the same time is the nearly absent mHealth apps in our smartphones. Though the country is rising as a world contender in medical tourism and witnesses a slow but gradual acceptance of smart healthcare wearable devices by a particular section of the society, we still have failed to leverage the rising smartphone and internet usage penetration within the country to take affordable healthcare to the remotest of the geographies.

Taking up mHealth as a challenge, there are few entrepreneurs who have dared to challenge the conventional way of functioning of the healthcare sector and bring the stakeholders on to the digital platform to offer affordable healthcare even to the rural areas. However, the biggest colossal task for these entrepreneurs is to get the not-so-tech-savvy doctors, pharmacists, lab technicians and users on this digital platform and make them use it. However, the entire ecosystem is gradually accepting this norm and putting their efforts to make healthcare not just affordable but reachable as well.

Few NGOs and government bodies have taken considerable steps to reach out to the rural populace while some doctors also have taken it as a challenge to offer their service without time and place boundaries. The mHealth segment will witness a bright future in the coming days benefitting all the stakeholders involved in the ecosystem. But yes, the poor internet connectivity needs immediate rectification for uninterrupted internet-based healthcare services.

With an aim to promote and boost the mHealth ecosystem, we at silicon india dedicate our current issue to this sector and bring to you the story of ‘10 Most Promising mHealth Solution Providers’ who are changing the game dynamics with their sheer will power to bring a change with the ecosystem.

Do let us know what you think!