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Medical micro work final

Nadia Millington
Nadia Millington

This document proposes a system called "Mobile Microwork-Medical Diagnostics" to provide low-cost, high-quality healthcare diagnostics in developing countries. It would work by having patients undergo medical exams which produce digital outputs like x-rays. These exams would then be transmitted to an intermediary who outsources the diagnostic analysis to microworkers using mobile phones. Microworkers, who are either para-skilled workers trained by the intermediary or certified medical professionals, would use their phones to evaluate exams and input diagnostic codes. The intermediary would quality check results and send accurate diagnoses back to the original country. This system could provide benefits like sustainable work for microworkers and Nokia, while addressing

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Mobile Microwork- Medical Diagnostics Addressing the need for low cost high quality health care diagnostics in the first world 1
Simplified diagram of system
Description Patient undergoes medical exam in Country X eg x-ray captured in digital form This is transmitted to an Intermediary Intermediary outsources work to microworkers via mobile technology Micro workers are of two types Para-skilled workers who are trained by the intermediary: Para skilling is the practice of breaking down skilled services such as education and health care into simplified narrowly defined tasks that can easily be completed by unskilled workers Already trained professionals who have been certified by the intermediary and have a broader range of skills Micro workers use their mobiles to access jobs. They choose 1 job and then evaluate the electronic scan on their mobile phone Micro workers then input results via a series of binary codes e.g. white spot on left can be coded as 1, on right = 2, no spot =o .just as an arbitrary example. This information is sent via the mobile to the intermediary and the binary responses are automatically converted to a normal word report Then quality control is undertaken ( possibly 30% of the reports are checked as an example). If errors are beyond a certain tolerance, this informs the intermediary that it needs to do retraining or reject the batch of results for a group of cases and start over, it may even identify workers who are error prone so that corrective action can be taken. Results which are certified correct are then returned to Country X
Benefits All the benefits of micro work Para skilling is already a successful business model in the medical field in India (http://www.aravind.org/) but it is done without the use of mobile technology A sustainable business model for Nokia- It may require microworkers to upgrade their mobiles in order to achieve the quality resolution required to complete a diagnosis. A financing scheme can be organised through a micro financing loan OR a trade-in and pay-as-you-go system ie trade-in your old Nokia and for your first 100 jobs; 25% of the microworkers pay goes to Nokia and 75% goes to the microworker, once you hit 100 jobs the new phone belongs to the micro worker.....just as an example). This will generate new sources of income for Nokia and further entrench its brand. Quality concerns addressed- Several levels of quality assurance can be built into the model. In addition, para skilled workers become experts in assessing the small range of symptoms (Initial reports on Aravind eye care show that the para skilled workers are more precise in their assessment than semi skilled workers who are trained to assess the full range of eye conditions)
Novelty Integrates several successful business models -microwork, para skilling (possibly micro finance) and open innovation (intermediaries and crowdsourcing) into one business model with both pro poor and commercial benefit. Still to be defined The type of medical diagnostics that can be outsourced in this way (Evidence that eye-care diagnostics is a good start). The minimum quality level of phone required Adequate Bandwidth to transfer high quality images??? Legal issues medial malpractice ???????? Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

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Medical micro work final

  • 1. Mobile Microwork- Medical Diagnostics Addressing the need for low cost high quality health care diagnostics in the first world 1
  • 3. Description Patient undergoes medical exam in Country X eg x-ray captured in digital form This is transmitted to an Intermediary Intermediary outsources work to microworkers via mobile technology Micro workers are of two types Para-skilled workers who are trained by the intermediary: Para skilling is the practice of breaking down skilled services such as education and health care into simplified narrowly defined tasks that can easily be completed by unskilled workers Already trained professionals who have been certified by the intermediary and have a broader range of skills Micro workers use their mobiles to access jobs. They choose 1 job and then evaluate the electronic scan on their mobile phone Micro workers then input results via a series of binary codes e.g. white spot on left can be coded as 1, on right = 2, no spot =o .just as an arbitrary example. This information is sent via the mobile to the intermediary and the binary responses are automatically converted to a normal word report Then quality control is undertaken ( possibly 30% of the reports are checked as an example). If errors are beyond a certain tolerance, this informs the intermediary that it needs to do retraining or reject the batch of results for a group of cases and start over, it may even identify workers who are error prone so that corrective action can be taken. Results which are certified correct are then returned to Country X
  • 4. Benefits All the benefits of micro work Para skilling is already a successful business model in the medical field in India (http://www.aravind.org/) but it is done without the use of mobile technology A sustainable business model for Nokia- It may require microworkers to upgrade their mobiles in order to achieve the quality resolution required to complete a diagnosis. A financing scheme can be organised through a micro financing loan OR a trade-in and pay-as-you-go system ie trade-in your old Nokia and for your first 100 jobs; 25% of the microworkers pay goes to Nokia and 75% goes to the microworker, once you hit 100 jobs the new phone belongs to the micro worker.....just as an example). This will generate new sources of income for Nokia and further entrench its brand. Quality concerns addressed- Several levels of quality assurance can be built into the model. In addition, para skilled workers become experts in assessing the small range of symptoms (Initial reports on Aravind eye care show that the para skilled workers are more precise in their assessment than semi skilled workers who are trained to assess the full range of eye conditions)
  • 5. Novelty Integrates several successful business models -microwork, para skilling (possibly micro finance) and open innovation (intermediaries and crowdsourcing) into one business model with both pro poor and commercial benefit. Still to be defined The type of medical diagnostics that can be outsourced in this way (Evidence that eye-care diagnostics is a good start). The minimum quality level of phone required Adequate Bandwidth to transfer high quality images??? Legal issues medial malpractice ???????? Any suggestions will be much appreciated.