Indian physiotherapist Dr Asha Gummadi won the National
Geographic Chasing Genius Challenge held in the US for her innovative idea. Dr
Asha, a graduate in physiotherapy from SVIMS University, Tirupati, hails from
Guntur district.
She moved to the US to pursue Master of Science in
physiotherapy at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health
Professions, Boston.
She graduated with an Advanced Master of Science majoring
with Neurological Physiotherapy in 2008. She had been practising in the US
since then and for the past seven years. She was associated with Bryn Mawr
Rehabilitation Hospital, a large acute rehab centre in Greater Philadelphia, as
a neurological physiotherapist.
National Geographic network had called for innovative ideas
that can change the world in their segment chasing genius challenge and Dr Asha
Gummadi presented her idea “Empowering tele- rehabilitation with digital
connectivity.” Her solution was a web application that helps physiotherapists
prescribe, customise and share home exercise programmes with their patients in
their native languages.
Inspired by her mother and grandfather's medical issues, Asha Gummadi developed a smartphone app that provides people all over the world with easy access to physical therapy exercises. When Asha's mother needed physical therapy but didn't have a therapist near her or someone who spoke her language, Asha knew others were dealing with the same problem. Meanwhile, her grandfather lived in a village and needed rehab after undergoing an amputation.
Her idea got the most votes of all of the finalists, and
Asha was named the winner earlier this week. She gets $25,000 to help further
her vision and hopes her app will empower global patients with disabilities.
The app allows doctors to prescribe physical therapy exercises to people in
developing countries with little access to help and treatment nearby. It also
provides detailed animations that show how to do the exercise. Patients can
select their own language as well.
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