Skip to main content

Driving Innovation the GE way- GETech Mela Coverage

‘Reverse innovation,’ a principle well established in the business world, describes the flow of ideas from emerging to more developed economies. Reverse innovation refers to the process of first identifying and/or fostering a successful innovation in a LIC that addresses an unmet need in a HIC, then adapting and spreading the innovation from the LIC to the HIC. It is, in a nutshell, learning from and investing in poorer settings as one way to tackle problems in wealthier settings that require out-of-the-box solutions.


The realization that the American health care system must simultaneously decrease per-capita cost and increase quality has created the opportunity for the United States to learn from low- and middle-income countries. 

At GE Tech Mela, I came across GE's Stripped-down, portable ECG machine- GE Healthcare's MAC i is an ultra-portable, battery-operated electrocardiogram machine, designed for use in rural clinics in India, where mains electricity is either intermittent or non-existent. The cost is only 25,000 rupees (£320). It is a boon for the Indian market where electricity and primary healthcare access is a big problem.


The concept of Reverse Innovation and Glocalisation (Global- Local) is not new to GE. In 2010, I came across a dual-slice computed tomography imaging system called HiSpeed Dual with GE. It was the first CT system that the health care arm of U.S. conglomerate General Electric had made in India, and the first high-end CT imaging system that anyone had made in the country. GE Healthcare had previously imported the system for Indian customers. By manufacturing it in Bangalore, GE Healthcare cut the price by 10% and  reduced an 8- to 10-week waiting period as well.

Mr Shyam Rajan, CTO, GE Healthcare has contributed significantly over the last two decades towards the development of Maternal and Infant Care products such as infant warmers, incubators, and phototherapy equipment. He is a firm believer that “low cost” does not translate to “low technology”, and that the opposite can often be true.


I was at the Healthcare Pavilion called "Odyssey Hospital" that showcased GE Heathcare's key capabilities and solutions in an integrated manner. A mini hospital prototype enacting GE touch points at every level.

I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with him as I have used most of the portable devices on the ground especially while I was involved with WHO’s PMNCH program on Mother and child health. We hit off a banter when I realised how value packed their offerings are keeping in mind insights they derived from the ground and real life challenges.

I also interacted with Mr. Munesh Makhija, Managing Director, GE India Technology Centre Chief Technology Officer, GE South Asia.


Munesh and myself talked at length about GE Superheroes, the concept of organizing Tech Mela every year, GE's vision and how they celebrate everything they do.

It was a power-packed day and definitely a weekend well spent. You can catch up on more moments at #TechMela on Twitter handle @GE_ITC or take a look at this infograph that reiterates the vision- “Design and Make in India”.

Popular posts from this blog

Artificial Intelligence Policy and Governance in HEALTHCARE

  Artificial Intelligence has become the new frontier for digital transformation. Several  #digitalhealth  businesses of today rely on Machine Learning,  #AI  and other such technologies to make healthcare delivery more efficient and comprehensive. However, the efficient and responsible use of AI tools is an ongoing discussion and would mean culture, data management, technology shifts in the industry, and required up-grading and training professionals for better coordination. Hence, with the growing market potential and interest in AI, it is imperative to develop a thoughtthrough regulatory and legal framework on the adoption and use of AI. I have set forward a hypotheses to design a policy framework for AI technologies in my paper- "𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 – 𝐀 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞" last year https://lnkd.in/emi3XWwa cited further by "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑

Artificial intelligence and Technology for Dentistry

Have you heard of this company  ORCA Dental AI ? ORCA combines clinical expertise with machine learning and AI technologies to create diagnostic reports, treatment plan suggestions and smart clinical predictions. Good to learn about these innovations that benefit every stakeholder in the value chain. Recently,  VideaHealth  raised $20M to Expand AI-Based Diagnostics led by Spark Capital including existing investors Zetta Venture Partners. Among its many benefits to dentists and patients are: – A 31% increase in diagnosis rate for cavities and 26% increase in treatment plan value; – An increase in case acceptance by patients due to second opinions; – Automated workflows accelerate treatment planning and charting; Another company touting AI-powered dental care and practice management is  Overjet , which announced a $42.5 million Series B funding round in December months after it had scored $27 million in Series A funding.  Pearl  provides AI for dental images to assist in diagnosis. It l

Big Data Analytics- The Microscope and Telescope for Pharma/CRO

This article is produced in consultation with Industry experts, and KOLs in India and across the world and especially highlights how “Predictive Analytics algorithms” are poised to provide Useful Analytics to the Pharma industry.   In today’s highly competitive market, it is extremely important for contract research and manufacturers to have access to information that allows them to target the specific segments of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry that are looking to outsource the particular services they provide.  Understanding shifts in annual outsourcing budgets and spending can help CROs and CMOs to better position themselves for capturing business, particularly at a time when many – if not all – pharma and biotech companies are looking to cut costs and streamline operations.  As per a recent report by NiceInsights, Analytical Services, Clinical Research, and Clinical Monitoring will be the most demanded services over the next 12 to 18 months. For CROs and CMOs looki