Tanzania startup launches platform to connect patients with doctors

Medikea, a Tanzania-based online healthcare marketplace, has launched a platform that enables patients to book doctor appointments at their preferred clinics for free. 

The Medikea App, available on Google Play and the App Store, allows patients to search doctors by name, specialty, location, or insurance accepted. 

 Medikea launches a platform that allows patients to make immediate doctor appointments

How it works

The app allows users to compare doctor’s availability, ratings, and reviews, which enables patients to choose the best-suited option for immediate booking. 

To assist doctors, hospitals, and clinics, Medikea provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) tool that allows doctors to add their availability and facilitate appointments.

Users can receive appointment reminders from doctors, hospitals, or clinics via email or text to ensure patients attend appointments on time. The SaaS tool decreases the amount of time healthcare workers spend on the phone.

Booking is free-of-charge for patients, however, doctors and clinics are charged a monthly subscription fee to obtain the Software as a Service (SaaS) tool. This tool is used to add schedules, manage appointments, and engage with patients. 

The Medikea App allows patients to receive medication from an accredited pharmacy, located nearby, within an hour after using the app. Patients are able to easily track their health by booking prevention health checkups. 

Medikea

Medikea was founded in 2020 by Dr. Elvis Silayo and Desire Ruhinda. The team behind the startup consists of the founders who accumulated expertise in healthcare and technology, as well as two doctors and one full-stack software engineer. 

The healthtech startup addresses the challenges faced in the African healthcare industry by developing services that support the transition of offline institutes to online platforms through technology. 

Medikea is an online healthcare marketplace that links doctors, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and diagnostic centers. The app aims to assist patients by allowing them to find doctors and review their availability.

Market opportunity

Medikea aims to increase accessibility for Africans and contribute to the transition of online healthcare. 

‘Hidden supply of care’ refers to the near-term availability of doctors. Thirty to 40 percent of appointment slots become available due to rescheduling and cancellations from patients.

In an official press release, a spokesperson representing Medikea comments on the advanced features of the platform. 

“Our technology makes this hidden appointment inventory available in real-time for last-minute bookers. This dramatically accelerates patients’ access to care and improves systemic inefficiencies.”

There are reportedly 3.5-billion appointments booked in Africa annually, which validates that an online healthcare services platform is a good market opportunity. It is reportedly a $60 billion market opportunity with less than one percent of doctors or clinics providing the option to book online.

Expansion

As a completely self-funded healthtech startup, the innovative app is reportedly gaining traction with bookings growing by roughly 45% each week. 

Medikea operates in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and aims to expand to other major cities in Tanzania before expanding to other African countries. 

A spokesperson representing Medikea explains that the startup will partner with pharmacies and diagnostic centers to further advance patients’ experience. 

“As we manage to deliver better patients experience both pre and during the appointment, there is still the pain of getting medicines or doing lab tests prescribed by the doctor after the

appointment, because most of the clinics don’t have all medicines or do all lab tests. Next month we will launch medicine delivery and booking lab tests features from our partner pharmacies and diagnostic centres.”

Medikea aims to address the healthcare needs of Africans and build an ecosystem of healthcare services that assist offline infrastructures. 

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Read more: Tanzanian Agritech startup wins the 2020 MEST Africa Challenge

Featured Image: National Cancer Institute via Unsplash