Abbott unveils ‘neutral’ digital health plan for patients, doctors

Assures initiative will not be monetitised, data will be protected

Healthcare major Abbott has unveiled its “neutral” digital initiative that aims to provide services and information to consumers and doctors, bridge communication gaps between the two and eventually get e-pharmacies on board.

Addressing data privacy issues and ethical concerns linked to a healthcare company hosting such an initiative, Jawed Zia, Abbott’s India-head for pharmaceuticals, said at a media interaction that the company’s global digital healthcare platform, ‘a:care’, was neutral and will not be monetised. All information being put out on the site or web-app are being be vetted by a panel of medical experts, he said, adding that there will be an element of “gamefication” as customers are incentiviced and given points or discounts on medicines, diagnostics or other health services. Now, e-pharmacy 1m is on board the digital initiative, he said.