A social innovation model for equitable access to quality health services for rural populations: a case from Sumapaz, a rural district of Bogota, Colombia

Abstract

Background Despite efforts to extend Universal Health Coverage in Colombia, rural and remote populations still face significant challenges in accessing equitable health services. Social innovation has been growing in Colombia as a creative response to the country’s social problems including access to healthcare. This paper presents the findings of a social innovation case study, which was implemented in the rural area of Sumapaz in Colombia, with the purpose of holistically addressing the health needs of the local population and enhancing health service access. Methods A case study methodology was used to investigate and understand the process by which the Model of Integral Health Care for Rural Areas was developed and how the various strategies were defined and implemented. Qualitative methods were used in the data collection and all data was analysed using Farmer et al. staged framework on grassroots social innovation which includes growing the idea; implementing the idea; sustainability and diffusion. Results The social innovation model was designed as a co-learning process based on community participation. The model was implemented adopting a holistic health approach and considerate of the conditions of a rural context. As a result of this process, access to quality health services were enhanced for the vulnerable rural community. The model has also provided outcomes that transcend health and contribute to individual and community development in different areas eg. agriculture. Conclusion The Model of Integral Health Care for Rural Areas is a social innovation in health that demonstrates how Universal Health Coverage can be achieved for vulnerable populations through a series of creative strategies which fill systemic voids in access and co-ordination of care, as well as in addresings upstream environmental factors responsible for ill-health.

Building the social innovation for health ecosystem in Latin America: experiences and learning from SIHI-LAC

“…Since 2015, SIHI-LAC identified multiple social innovation initiatives through open crowdsourcing calls and provided a package of support to eight of these initiatives (see table 2). The crowdsourcing process by which these initiatives were selected, and the qualitative research methodology adopted to study these initiatives, have been presented in several other journal publications 3 4 22–24. A qualitative assessment of these eight social innovation initiatives was undertaken between June and July 2021.…”

Apropiación sistémica de la innovación social corporativa en organizaciones de mercados emergentes: una propuesta para la generación de valor compartido

“…Por otro lado, la literatura de la IS en mercados emergentes es aún menor y se centra, especialmente, en su implementación en las comunidades rurales (Arboleda et al, 2020;Bautista & van Niekerk, 2022;Delgado et al, 2021) y su relación con la innovación pública (Restrepo-Medina et al, 2020). En cuanto a la ISC, se profundiza en la contribución que hacen las organizaciones a la consecución de los ODS o a la resolución de las problemáticas sociales a través de la ISC (Tabares, 2020b;Varadarajan & Kaul, 2018).…”

Innovaciones sociales para mejorar la salud

“…Esta puede ser la situación para las poblaciones guatemaltecas en las que se ha interrumpido la transmisión de la enfermedad de Chagas al mejorar las viviendas con materiales y tecnologías autóctonas, con apoyo de la Universidad de San Carlos y liderado por la doctora Carlota Monroy (32), o para los habitantes de Sumapaz en la zona rural de Bogotá, donde científicos de la Universidad Nacional y de la SubRed Sur de la Secretaría de Salud apoyan a las innovadoras de la comunidad, mejorando la calidad y seguridad alimentaria, y el entorno ecológico (11,24). El contar con más innovadores e investigadores provenientes de estas comunidades, quizás facilite atender agendas inconclusas, proteger logros y abordar nuevos retos.…”

“…Colombia ha figurado en estos avances, incluyendo los de la SIHI-LAC 2 , 5 , 11 , 16 , 24 ). El CIDEIM y la OPS lideran el secretariado de la SIHI-LAC y apoyan el secretariado mundial que ahora está en Manila, Filipinas.…”