Healthcare - eLAJ

Preamble

Biocon Foundation has designed eLAJ Smart Clinics to facilitate effective preventive and primary healthcare intervention for the benefit of communities with poor access to healthcare. These clinics are technology-enabled, which allow vital signs monitoring, multiple diagnostic tests and generation of electronic patient records. The eLAJ model has been designed to deliver data-based healthcare on the basis of socio-demographic and health indicators obtained from screenings in clinical settings. Through the eLAJ model we are converting Primary Health Clinics (PHCs) into a comprehensive single point treatment centre with systematic documentation of patient data.

Strategy

These clinics are staffed with doctors, lab technicians and data operators who are trained to handle modern diagnostic equipment and clinic management software, all connected to a secure server. The introduction of the eLAJ model in PHCs provides access to affordable healthcare services in remote rural areas. The diagnostic centre in an eLAJ Smart Clinic can perform up to 50 biochemistry and haematology tests. Patient records are digitized and stored on a secure server. Every patient is mapped to a unique ID to ensure continuum of care. By providing clinical consultation and essential diagnostic services free of cost to all patients, these clinics reduce out-of- pocket expenses. Improved diagnostics and comprehensive care at the eLAJ Smart Clinics also minimise the burden on the secondary and tertiary hospitals for treatment.

Workflow

The organic workflow pattern starts with baseline indicators and preventive health and culminates in treatment. This enables surveillance, monitoring and evaluation of the health status of the population. Data from individual clinics or from groups of clinics are available to health administrators through real-time dashboard, which capture patient footfall, vital parameters, disease profiles of communities and disease trends. This enables forward planning for the implementation of need-based healthcare programs. There are three interconnected workstations in the eLAJ system which include-

  • Registration– demographic details and vital parameters (blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar, weight and pulse oximetry) captured
  • Doctor– symptoms, prescription for diagnostics/medicines & diagnosis
  • Diagnostics– more than 50 hematology and biochemistry tests perfomed

Partnership with Government of Rajasthan

In 2015, Biocon Foundation adopted 5 PHCs and 32 associated Sub Centres (SCs) of Government of Rajasthan (GoR) in order to improve the delivery of services in Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur and Jhalawar districts. The Foundation mobilized its capacity to design, deliver, operate, maintain and finance the adopted PHCs and SCs as part of its CSR initiative. A health system strengthening approach was adopted to provide infrastructure, manpower, equipment, medical products and other facilities as per Indian Public Health Standards. A robust health information system was installed in all the centres to allow the practice of evidence-based care. The Foundation implemented all healthcare policies and programmes of the Government through these PHCs. In August 2017, GoR declared the PHCs at Jhalawar as Adarsh PHCs (Model PHCs) and the ownership of these upgraded PHCs was transferred to the Government. In this process, the Foundation donated and transferred all the equipment, furniture & fixtures and the developed infrastructure in the PHCs to the Government. The Foundation continued to manage full-scale operations in the remaining three PHCs till March 2019.

Partnership with Government of Karnataka

As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Biocon Foundation & Department of Health & Family Welfare, eLAJ has been integrated into the operations of 15 Government of Karnataka (GoK) PHCs which collectively caters to a total population of more than 8 lakhs across 5 districts. In addition, on the request of the Government, Biocon Foundation has established a laboratory in the Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru. The Foundation has equipped every PHC with an electronic patient record system and vital signs monitoring and diagnostic devices. The Foundation has appointed Lab Technicians and Data Entry Operators in the PHCs to deliver health services.
Impact Assessment Report - Executive Summary