Donor-supported healthcare programs in low- and middle-income countries have historically focused on specific diseases like malaria or maternal health. At Medtronic LABS, we’re designing the global health system of the future. That means thinking bigger than individual diseases.
We’re expanding past hypertension and diabetes to address the full spectrum of community health needs: hypertension, diabetes, mental health, malaria, TB, HIV, maternal health, and more.
“With over 5 billion people in underserved communities across the world lacking access to healthcare, we need health systems to look beyond addressing specific conditions and consider patients’ broader health needs,” said Anne Stake, chief strategy and product officer.
“It’s time to move away from the historical ‘verticalization’ of health systems.”
Anne Stake, Chief Strategy and Product Officer, Medtronic LABS
While disease-specific verticals have been able to address individual diseases successfully, they often overlook the connections between different health determinants and conditions, plus the overall needs of patients.
“We realized that LABS’ strength in data-driven population health adds value to a range of different conditions,” she continued. “It’s a pivot away from just looking at a single condition to transforming community healthcare delivery.”
Designed for Growth
One way we’re bridging the gap between disease verticals is by forming strong partnerships in the public and private sectors, all while connecting patients to care through a network of community health workers.
And each connection point is equipped with our technology platform, SPICE, which tracks health outcomes and population health indicators in real-time.
“We built SPICE for integrated care, with the ability to turn on and off conditions,” said Kelly Shelden, head of technology, “Our strategy from the beginning is to be the community health platform standard.”
We have reached over 1 million patients with hypertension and diabetes and trained over 6,500 health workers in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, the United States, and India.
And it’s just the beginning.
“With new partnerships at every level of the global health system, we believe that our move into broader community healthcare delivery will amplify our impact ten times over the next couple of years,” said Megha Kumar, head of global partnerships.
Building a Global Health System that Works
Medtronic LABS delivers tailored interventions for sustainable change, understanding local contexts, and leveraging innovative technology. Join us in creating an accessible, equitable, and effective global health system for all. Contact us today to learn more about our localized approach. Together, let’s transform health systems and restore human dignity.
A version of this article first appeared on the Medtronic Newsroom. Our mission is to expand access to healthcare for patients, families, and communities worldwide. Click here to learn more about Medtronic LABS’ bold approach to last-mile healthcare delivery.
