Last mile connectivity (2)

Urge to share new knowledge with professionals in science, generally, results in the scientific publications, which are written by scientific people intended to be read by the scientific people. Common man (public) have no time to understand or learn from it, as it is filled with scientific evidence (call 'statistics'). Neither these scientific papers provide any clear-cut answers to problems (knowledge gets bogged down in technical jargon). Thus, it takes a lot many publications to derive a scientific truth or, alternately, a way-forward to a pressing problem. However, it is critical to share the knowledge we gained, however limited it may be, to advance a solution to a problem. Last mile connectivity in providing access to tuberculosis diagnostics remained a pressing problem- too small for the scientific community but, too large for public health programs.

Cogs in the ‘last mile connectivity’ in providing diagnostic access are: (1) a diagnostic technology simple enough to reach point-of-testing (private house-holds) (2) access to laboratory health services till communities (3) improvement in commutations of people from smaller communities/settlements to nearby by towns/villages at higher level, without wastage of time and devastating costs (4) a good efficient “amazon” service for specimen transport. Several of above solutions are applicable at different levels. And some of them are not cost-effective, or impractical given the lack of appropriate diagnostic technologies.

Could we see “AMAZON” extending its services to the public health specimen transport without risking lower profit margins? Will the volumes of specimens that are transported could break-even the costs incurred in such a business (higher scale-of bossiness)? What are elements interest an “amazon” for specimen transport. Business model of “Amazon” relies heavily on vendors who transport their products to the ‘Amazon designated warehouses’. The reach could even extend up to a neighborhood individual retail shops. Amazon provides what is called a ‘market-places’: services that support the vendor to photograph all the products and make them ready for online consumption. Through the whole life of the relationship with vendor, the market- places provide inventory reports, order reports and trends. The vendors need to focus on their products and find easy ways to ship their products to the Warehouses of the Marketplace. For the buyers, the product just reaches their homes, in a predicted time, at an affordable price. This is enabled by multiple courier services- who also find market place with 'Amazon'.

Could we dream of extending this type of service in public health? Obtaining biological clinical specimens could pose multiple challenges? Why does it pose problem?- because of limitations of the knowledge or practice? How much training does it need to learn how to obtain a valid urine, stool, throat swab, or a sputum sample? How should the specimens be packaged for safe transport to labs nearby or far? I see a solution here already. We need to take back Public health to Public for extended participation to solve the problems. 
Corporate hospitals, send their laboratory staff to homes to collect specimens, in larger cities- but it has obvious limitation of access.