GE Healthcare and Kenya-based startup Afya Rekod seek to transform care delivery through improved access to personal health data in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
The two aim to give patients access to their own health history, including radiological images, by enabling hospitals and diagnostic centers to host health records securely on one platform through a digital application. This partnership will enable patients and clinicians to access data and generate clinical, operational, and financial insights that provide them with a more holistic view of the patient.
According to John Kamara, CEO Afya Rekod, “Our vision is to put patients at the core of what we do. We want families to have access to their medical records virtually and access them any time, in a matter of seconds. The partnership with GE will allow for a seamless flow of data from the equipment directly to the app and into patients’ hands. The app will also allow clinicians to view data and share with other experts, enabling them to make better informed diagnoses and decisions.
This is a patient-driven platform that puts them at the core of all services. They can capture, store, access and own their health records, which has multiple benefits including reducing the cost of repeating medical tests. Both patients and clinicians will be able to access imaging files and test results through an app on their phones or browser without having to go back to the health clinic to collect the files. To protect confidentiality, Afya Rekod uses various AI and blockchain modules, and the patient maintains the sovereign right of ownership to their health data.
GE Healthcare has supported Africa’s healthcare journey for decades. From providing technology and solutions, to cementing partnerships and supporting training, the company is committed to continuous development across the region.
Eyong Ebai, General Manager Sub-Saharan Africa, GE Healthcare said, “With our collaboration with start-up Afya Rekod, we will work on data accessibility to help create insights for better, more targeted, more individualized patient care. Startups, the private sector, and the public must all come together to further Sub-Saharan Africa’s digital healthcare journey, to the benefit of millions of people. This app and partnership support that journey.”