Maharashtra to set up Living Lab to improve healthcare quality

Mumbai: Maharashtra is developing a state-level 'Living Lab' to drive healthcare innovation and improve quality standards with a focus on testing solutions based on community needs, officials said.

According to PTI, the initiative, conceptualised by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, aims to improve the quality of healthcare services and compliance with quality standards, while creating opportunities for skill development and employment in the state, an official release said on Tuesday.

The platform will identify local healthcare priorities, develop solutions in consultation with communities and test new approaches in the existing healthcare system.

It will bring together the government, healthcare providers, the private sector, academic institutions, innovators and development partners to strengthen the healthcare system and improve treatment pathways, the release said.

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The initiative will also harness artificial intelligence, digital health, data and precision health, along with other technological innovations.

A key objective is to link the capabilities of the private healthcare sector with public health priorities. The participation of various stakeholders is expected to help develop practical, affordable and accessible solutions tailored to local needs.

The initiative will also assess the potential of successful solutions for expansion across Maharashtra and elsewhere. In subsequent phases, it will also explore opportunities for local skill development, employment and enterprise creation linked to community healthcare needs.

The initiative further seeks to ensure that innovation reaches every citizen, including people in remote areas and underserved communities, rather than focusing solely on the adoption of new technologies.

It aims to test solutions through collaboration among the government, communities, innovators and partners, analyse the findings and scale up approaches that improve healthcare quality and equity.

The Living Lab will serve as a platform for generating evidence and fostering collaboration, with community needs and local ownership at its core. It will also strengthen coordination between innovators, the healthcare system and frontline service providers.

The 'Manyata' initiative of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) is an early example of this approach. The initiative complements the government's efforts to strengthen maternal healthcare and demonstrates how a private-sector quality improvement model can work alongside the public health system, the release said.

The 'MSD for Mothers' initiative is coordinating the effort and bringing together various partners to develop this collaborative model. Partnerships will be used to turn innovations into practical and sustainable solutions to strengthen the healthcare system, it added.

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