GPS Bracelet: Great Works Responds To PSFK Future Of Health Report

GPS Bracelet: Improving Communication Between Doctors And Patients

In developing countries, a lack of infrastructure makes communication between doctors and patients difficult if not near impossible. Patients often have no way to travel the great distances separating them from the clinics. And doctors have no way of contacting patients to send check-up reminders and medicine.

In developed countries, GPS bracelets are currently being used by some parents to track the location of their small children. UNICEF can apply this same technology to bridge the communication gap between doctors and patients in poorer nations.

A simplified version of the GPS bracelet can be manufactured and given to patients visiting health clinics. Each bracelet can include a button and two lights: one red, one green.
After receiving treatment and a bracelet, the patient travels back to his or her town. In the case of a medical emergency, he/she can press the button on the bracelet. The signal will be transmitted to a UNICEF hotline, where the patient’s location can be tracked and sent to the local clinic or community health worker via cell phone or SMS. The bracelet’s green light turns on, notifying the patient that help is on the way. The response time will differ from region to region.

In addition, the UNICEF hotline can use the same GPS bracelet to remind patients of their upcoming check-ups. The bracelet’s red light turns on letting the patient know that a doctor will be on call in 24 hours at the local clinic.

PSFK’s Future of Health Report shines a light on innovation occurring within the health and wellness space around the world. This document brings together both literal and lateral inspiration to provide a framework within which businesses can begin to contemplate the issues facing UNICEF and community health workers. These issues include limited resources, technological constraints, lack of health education, and limited access to timely and relevant health and wellness information.

In an effort to start this exciting conversation, PSFK challenged advertising and design agencies from around the world to react to the Future of Health report. They were tasked with developing concepts in the form of products, services or communications that addressed one or more of the needs set forth by UNICEF. The end result of this initial phase of ideation is more than 40 innovative concepts.

The following ideas are from Great Works. The agency has responded with two ideas; a product and a service. The full response is available for download on request here.

PSFK Future Of Health Report