African startup Vula is a healthcare specialist referral platform, aiming to help patients access the care of experts in a variety of medical fields more seamlessly than ever before. The platform connects primary healthcare workers to specialists in fields including ophthalmology, cardiology, orthopedics, HIV research, neurology, dermatology, pediatrics, oncology and more.
With an aim to "improve existing referral systems by putting primary healthcare workers directly in touch with on-call specialists," Vula aims to make this often time-consuming and stressful process quicker so that patients can get the care they need faster.
Accessible through an app that is available on both iOS and Android devices, Vula eliminates the middle man between healthcare workers and specialists to provide faster care while addressing urgency and even allowing for emergency appointments if needed.
Health Specialist Referral Apps
Vula Makes Setting Up Specialist Appointments Easy and Seamless
Trend Themes
1. Specialist Referral Platforms - Developing more efficient ways to connect primary healthcare workers with medical specialists through digital platforms presents a substantial opportunity for improving healthcare delivery globally.
2. Mobile Health Tools - The use of mobile applications in healthcare is becoming more widespread in facilitating healthcare delivery and efficient management of patient records in many regions of the world.
3. Telemedicine - In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine is revolutionizing healthcare delivery globally and providing new opportunities for more efficient care, especially for patients in rural areas.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - The healthcare industry should explore how to leverage digital technologies such as mobile applications and telemedicine platforms to improve healthcare delivery and connect patients with specialists worldwide.
2. Telecommunications - Telecommunications providers could enhance their services by collaborating with healthcare providers to offer telemedicine solutions and increase their customer base through innovative digital healthcare applications.
3. Software Development - Software companies that specialize in developing healthcare/telemedicine applications could expand their offerings and innovate new ways to improve specialist referrals, patient-record management, and billing processes for healthcare providers.