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PROCESS
User Validation
Understanding the needs, and validating the potential for the
proposed concept amongst the potential and current users was
done through a set of five interviews with people from the urban
lower-middle class within the same locality. Through this, the viabili-
ty and desirability of the proposed system for this user group could
be validated by getting a better picture of their health preferences,
lifestyle choices, prior experiences in healthcare and sources of
health-information. Some of the essential conclusions made through
these interviews are as follows:
The trust in a system of medicine amongst these users is
largely seen to be dependent on three factors: prior positive
experience with the system of medicine, relationship with the
medical practitioner, or the trustworthy appearance of the
brand. Hence, for those without prior experience in ISM, the
aspect of personal relationship with a practitioner or that
through a friend or relative who is a believer of the system of
medicine becomes essential in building a sense of trust. The
trustworthiness of the brand image is also, to a certain extent
a deciding factor in their personal sense of trust, though in
certain cases, “overly branded” products were seen with
distrust.
It was observed that there is, in fact, a unanimous sense of
distrust in some of the allopathic medical practitioners and
their intentions. Most of the interviewees stated that the
allopathic doctors could not be trusted to take their health
into account, and were more focussed on the monetary
benefits. They were also concerned with the effectiveness and
side-effects of allopathic treatments, often going for home
remedies as an alternative to consulting a medical
practitioner.
They considered ISM, such as Ayurveda, to have less side-
effects, but were hesitant about using it because of the long
timelines of healing. Most of the interviewees had had an
experience in alternative medicine, but could not follow
through either because of time constraints or the lack of
accessibility.
It was observed that most of the interviewees considered a
regular health service within their locality to be beneficial for
their overall wellness. Access, timely health check-ups and
personal connection with the practitioners was seen as the
primary benefits of such a “health-on-wheels” service.
In essence, the aspect of personal connection with the healthcare
practitioner and system was seen as being of primary importance
to building trust in a medical system, and there is an opportunity to
build trust in ISM amongst the urban lower-middle classes through
bettering access to ISM services, setting up local communities or
partners to spread the word, and by ensuring trustworthy and
quality treatment with effective follow-up.