Having a baby can be a
headache. Especially for new parents. Fever, endless crying, spots... There are
countless situations that worry parents and that they do not know how to solve
on their own. The baby's health is the most important thing for parents. If
they search the internet, they will only find the worst possible diagnosis.
Making an appointment with the pediatrician means waiting days or weeks. Going
to the emergency room is the last option when these situations occur in the wee
hours of the morning and its excessive use represents 38 billion dollars of
superfluous spending each year in the United States alone. To avoid these
hurried trips and dodge online medical misinformation, the young Colombian
pediatrician, Natalia Cano, set herself a goal: to put a pediatrician in the
pocket of caregivers to solve their doubts at any time without leaving home.
Her answer is called Docokids, a platform that offers extra income to pediatricians to answer questions about children's health 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its service gives access to a WhatsApp number where you can ask unlimited questions to professionals. For this breakthrough, Cano has been selected by MIT Technology Review in Spanish as one of the Innovators under 35 Latin America 2022.
Docokids is an opportunity both for single parents overwhelmed by parenting and an alternative income for pediatricians. It is a specialty that is "poorly paid and with regular working conditions," she says. Diaz's development allows fluid conversations between doctors and caregivers where photos and videos can be sent for quality counseling. Her development also facilitates the reconciliation of family life by reducing the burden of medical care involved in raising a newborn. Docokids' technology maximizes time spent with the patient and reduces time wasted on bureaucracy.
The product is already available to the public and growing. Cano resolves pediatric questions not only in Colombia but also plans to officially expand the service throughout Latin America. After its success in the field of childhood, this commitment to integral telemedicine seeks to expand its personalized attention to other medical specialties to provide a better healthcare service remotely and avoid unnecessary visits to health centers. This initiative brings telemedicine closer to the pediatrics sector.
