Sehat Sathi
A Culturally-Aware Wearable ECG Bridging India's Rural Healthcare Gap.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Timeline
12 Weeks
Focus
Hardware + UX
Tools
Figma, Adobe CC, Cursor
THE CHALLENGE:
Bringing Modern Healthcare to Remote Villages
In rural India, a staggering 60% of the population is served by only 30% of its medical professionals. This disparity creates immense barriers to accessing timely healthcare, especially for chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease (CVD), which often go undiagnosed. Villagers in regions like Kutch, Gujarat, face long travel times and cultural stigma associated with hospital visits, leading to preventable health crises.
THE APPROACH:
Designing for Trust
My approach was rooted in Human-Centered Design, focusing on cultural ergonomics to build trust with our two key users: the rural patient and the ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) community health worker. The entire system—from the physical wearable to the digital interface—was designed to be intuitive, reliable, and deeply respectful of the local context.
Field Research
10+ interviews with local women, ASHA workers, and clinicians. Mapped daily routines, stigma triggers, and tech access.
Synthesis
Affinity mapping surfaced three design principles: dignity-first, whisper-not-shout, and shareable core.
Prototyping
Four rounds from functional rig to culturally resonant artifact. Each iteration simplified interaction and form.
From Tangible Touch to Digital Reach.
Building on the foundation of a dignified, culturally-rooted physical device, Sehat Sathi extends its impact through a thoughtfully crafted digital companion app, bridging the gap between the hands-on realities of rural care and the power of smart, accessible technology. This synergy ensures that every heartbeat, no matter how remote, can be seen, understood, and protected.
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Primary User
Community health workers
Healthcare practitioners like Dr. Meena who travel between villages and operate the Sehat Sathi application system.
Key Needs:
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Efficient data management
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Remote consultation capabilities
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Portable, reliable tools
Secondary User
Villagers
Rural residents in Kutch who need accessible heart health monitoring without traveling 70+ minutes to hospitals.
Key Needs:
• Accessible healthcare monitoring
• Early cardiovascular detection
• Culturally appropriate solutions
From Wireframe to Lifeline
An intuitive UI designed for clarity and immediate action, empowering health workers to make critical decisions quickly.
The Digital Companion.
A mobile application designed for community health workers like Dr. Meena, enabling efficient patient management and remote ECG analysis in challenging field conditions.
Culturally-Resonant ECG Wearable Device
A discreet, shareable medical companion featuring Kutch-inspired motifs—optimized for dignity, daily comfort, and cultural acceptance in rural communities.
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High-Precision ECG Monitoring
A step-by-step workflow enables health workers to capture, analyze, and store ECG readings with clarity and confidence—even in field conditions.
Instant Health Insights
The dashboard provides real-time monitoring, priority alerts, and quick access to key patient data for streamlined, proactive care.
Smart Actions & Case Management
Action shortcuts empower health workers to record new ECGs, register patients, and manage follow-up tasks directly from a user-friendly command center.
🖥️
Dashboard
KPIs, Alert overview, Recent activities
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Patients
Searchable patient registry with filters
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Alerts
Critical and warning-level notifications and alerts
📋
Record ECG
Device connection and data capture
Interact with App here!
In rural India, over half of all cardiovascular disease cases go undiagnosed. This app, paired with the Sehat Sathi wearable, is the solution. It brings accessible, real-time ECG monitoring directly to the people who need it most, making healthcare a part of daily life.
