Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI), an initiative of Piramal Swasthya programme of Piramal Foundation, bagged the “Innovative Initiative in Healthcare through PPP” category for its Health Advice Call Centre (HACC) in Maharashtra.

The solution, deployed in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra, has helped to leverage over 750 algorithms and disease summaries approved by the Government of Maharashtra. The efforts reflects Piramal Foundation’s commitment to democratize healthcare and reach out to underserved communities.

The award was received at the eINDIA Health Summit 2012 held in Hyderabad. The award aims to identify and popularize emerging leaders and innovative projects from different sectors such as Governance, Education and Healthcare. It also helps to identify and recognize a project that exemplifies the kind of implementation that can be easily replicated and at the same time proves efficient and sustainable.

The project, 104 Health Advice Call Centre (HACC) in Maharashtra, provides specialist advice, directory information, disaster management information, information on government health programs and referrals to public health facilities to rural health workers of the Government of Maharashtra.

The objective of HMRI is to reduce the minor ailment load on public health facilities and provide high quality healthcare at patient’s doorsteps. The target beneficiary for the HACC project is the rural public health worker, who may need support in diagnosing patients. The call centre programme leverages more than 750 algorithms and disease summaries approved by the Government of Maharashtra to standardize care and reduce the need for highly skilled human resources, thereby decreasing costs.

The PPP programme is funded by the government which demonstrates the government’s support and enables smoother deployment across the state of Maharashtra. The project is a reflection of Piramal Foundation’s commitment to democratize healthcare and fulfil unmet medical needs. Similar PPP models, in partnership with state governments and social organisations, have also been deployed across Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Rajasthan.

The call centre of 104 Sarathi operated by HMRI in Assam, also in partnership with the state government, too received an award at the summit for best PPP project in health, leveraging technology, in North-East India.

Under the Piramal Foundation, the Piramal Swasthya initiative comprises Health Management & Research Institute and Piramal eswasthya. HMRI reaches out to the remote corners of Assam, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, to create an integrated digital healthcare delivery network. The Piramal Group is providing HMRI with financial and management support to scale the project to a pan India level. Piramal eSwasthya trains local literate women in basic health check-ups who act as a link between patients in villages and a doctor in a call-centre.

HMRI is a not-for-profit organisation, supported by the Piramal Foundation. It endeavours to strengthen existing public health systems and leverage Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) tools, along with modern management expertise, to significantly augment healthcare delivery by providing access to low-cost physical and virtual healthcare services to the public in  rural and remote population.