Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

BookMed app connects patients & doctors. AI helps schedule appointments & referrals, reducing unnecessary trips for rural patients referring to Nairobi hospitals.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

BookMed mobile app that bridges the gap between patients and doctors. It tackles appointment scheduling woes with features like AI-powered booking and a streamlined referral system. Patients, especially those in remote areas, can avoid unnecessary trips to Nairobi by having Level 5 hospitals book appointments directly at Level 6 facilities. The app has access to the doctors' schedule and ensures the patient visits the level 6 hospital on the exact day they are going to see a doctor. For doctors and hospitals, BookMed integrates with existing systems, provides secure messaging, and offers valuable data insights among other features. This health tech solution empowers patients, improves efficiency, and brings better healthcare access to Kenyans.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

BookMed tackles the inefficiency and wasted trips in Kenya's healthcare system, particularly for patients in rural areas seeking care at higher-level Nairobi hospitals. The core issue lies in the disconnect between appointment scheduling and referrals. Patients from lower-level hospitals often lack transparency about appointment availability at Level 6 facilities, leading to unnecessary travel if they show up unannounced or need to make multiple trips due to poorly coordinated scheduling. Afya Bora aims to solve this by streamlining the referral process and leveraging AI to schedule appointments directly at Level 6 hospitals for referred patients, eliminating wasted trips and improving access to specialized care.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Reduced travel and improved access: Patients, especially those in remote areas, can avoid unnecessary trips to Nairobi hospitals. Level 5 hospitals can directly book appointments at Level 6 facilities through the app, ensuring patients know exactly when to arrive for their consultation, reducing wasted time and money. Increased efficiency and streamlined referrals: The app tackles scheduling challenges with AI-powered appointment booking. Referred patients are automatically slotted into available appointments, eliminating the back-and-forth communication currently needed. This frees up hospital staff time and improves overall efficiency. Enhanced patient experience and better care: BookMed empowers patients with information. Appointment clarity reduces stress and improves the overall experience. Additionally, the app can offer educational resources and potentially telemedicine features, promoting better health awareness and potentially reducing the need for in-person visits for no

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Patients, particularly those in rural areas: BookMed empowers them by tackling appointment scheduling frustrations. The app provides transparency: patients referred to higher-level Nairobi hospitals (Level 6) will know exactly when their appointments are, eliminating unnecessary trips and long waits. This is especially beneficial for those with limited resources who cannot afford multiple journeys. Multilingual support and offline functionalities ensure accessibility even in remote locations. 2. The Kenyan healthcare system as a whole: BookMed aims to improve efficiency and streamline processes. The AI-powered appointment scheduling system reduces time spent on back-and-forth communication for appointments, freeing up valuable staff time for patient care. Additionally, the streamlined referral process for Level 5 hospitals eases the burden on Level 6 facilities by ensuring referred patients have confirmed appointments. This improves the overall system.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

1

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Let me tell you about Lewis, my coding partner for the BookMed app. Imagine a super-motivated computer science student at KCA University who also attends Moringa School. That's Lewis! He's not just learning to code, he's actively building practical skills through their program. This guy loves taking what he learns and turning it into something real. That's exactly what we need for BookMed. I bring the solution to a problem, Lewis brings the coding skills, and together we can build an app that truly makes a difference.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

f) Healthcare (healthcare equipment and services)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Reduced healthcare access disparities: BookMed empowers patients in rural Kenya, especially those needing specialized care at higher-level hospitals. By streamlining referrals and scheduling appointments directly, it reduces unnecessary travel and long waits, improving access for those who might otherwise struggle. Improved efficiency in healthcare systems: The AI-powered appointment system and streamlined referral process free up valuable staff time at both Level 5 and Level 6 hospitals. This allows them to focus on patient care and potentially reduce appointment backlogs, leading to a smoother-running healthcare system overall. Promotion of health equity: BookMed's features, like potential telemedicine integration and educational resources, can empower patients to take charge of their health and potentially reduce the need for non-critical in-person visits. This focus on preventative care and education aligns with SDG 3's emphasis on promoting well-being for all. By add

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

2

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

5

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

BookMed fosters innovation and strengthens infrastructure within Kenya's healthcare industry. The app's core functionality utilizes AI-powered scheduling, a relatively new technology in the Kenyan healthcare landscape. This implementation can pave the way for wider adoption of AI in appointment management, improving efficiency across the system. Additionally, BookMed addresses the challenge of limited internet access in rural areas by offering offline functionalities. This innovation can inspire the development of similar features in other health apps, ensuring greater accessibility for geographically isolated populations. Overall, BookMed acts as a springboard for technological advancements within the healthcare sector and promotes the development of infrastructure that caters to the specific needs of Kenyans, fostering a more robust and innovative healthcare system.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

2

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

6

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

5

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

6

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

6

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

BookMed tackles the healthcare gap in Kenya with innovation. Unlike appointment-focused apps, BookMed streamlines referrals between hospitals, eliminating unnecessary travel for rural patients seeking specialized care. AI-powered scheduling reduces friction and optimizes appointment flow. Multilingual support and offline functionality ensure accessibility even in remote areas. This foundation opens doors for future features like telemedicine, empowering patients and improving healthcare efficiency across Kenya.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Main Competitors: Existing apps likely focus on general appointment scheduling or basic telemedicine services. BookMed's Differentiation: Focus on Referrals: We address the specific challenge of streamlining referrals between hospitals, eliminating unnecessary trips for patients needing specialized care. AI-powered Scheduling: Our AI optimizes appointment allocation and reduces scheduling friction compared to competitors with simpler booking systems.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

I just wanted to let you know that I'm not at the moment. I am not at the capacity to do so.