Using Mobile Technologies to Improve Maternal Health

mHealth● Using mobile technologies to improve healthcare● Lots of potential: ● data collection ● point of care support ● telemedicine/remote diagnosis● So far little evidence of what really works and what may be scalable http://digital-campus.org © 2011

Our programme● As yet, little use of mHealth in Ethiopia● Evalutation of the feasibility of using mobile technologies (smartphones) to improve maternal health● Working with Health Extension Workers in Tigray http://digital-campus.org © 2011

Stage 1: HEW interviews● Interviews with HEWs and assess technical aspects. Findings: ● GPRS coverage much better than expected ● Technically worked well ● Lack of electricity at many health posts ● Language/date format ● HEWs very keen on using the smartphones http://digital-campus.org © 2011

Protocol development● Protocol is a standard medical care questionnaire● Acts as reminder to HEWs to ensure they are asking all the correct information● Information can be used to help risk assess patients● HEWs/Midwives can focus on those most at risk of having complications during pregnancy/labour http://digital-campus.org © 2011

Workflow1 1. Data collected in the field using smartphones 2. Data automatically uploaded to server whenever GPRS connection available 3. Data instantly available via the scorecard dashboard 2 3 Internet http://digital-campus.org © 2011

OpenDataKit http://opendatakit.org/● ODK Aggregate – server app – runs either on your own server or on Google App Engine● ODK Collect – client application for Android● ODK Build – to help build form XML http://digital-campus.org © 2011

Overview● So far, technology is working well● Big test is over the next few months once the HEWs and midwives start to use the technology for real● More development needed for the scorecard and client phone applications http://digital-campus.org © 2011

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Using Mobile Technologies to Improve Maternal Health

by Alex Little on Sep 24, 2011

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Using Mobile Technologies to Improve Maternal Health — Presentation Transcript