SMS, Medical Records, Mapping, & Mobile Diagnostics
Isaac Holeman, Clinical Program Director at FrontlineSMS:Medic
contact: www.isaacholeman.org/smp

Macro Level Drivers

4.4 Million Health Worker Shortage

Urban/Rural Divides

Urban/Rural Divides

3.6 billion mobile phone subscribers (54% of
global population)
In 2002, mobile subscribers overtook fixed line
subscribers
64% of all mobile users are in the developing
world
By 2012, 50% of individuals living in remote areas
in the world will have mobiles
The fastest growth is projected to occur in Asia,
Middle East, and Africa

Market Penetration

Market Penetration

Scale through replicability depends on simplicity,
cost, user ownership and empowerment

FrontlineSMS:Medic harnesses prevalent
technology and a prevalent clinical model

FrontlineSMS: a laptop and a cell
phone become a communication hub

Runs on laptops, desktops, or netbooks

Lowest Common Denominator Phones

Adapter connects computer to a phone

GSM modem for faster text messaging

FrontlineSMS Hardware Family

1
5
15 minute installation, welcome to FrontlineSMS

Manage phone numbers under contacts tab

Send messages to groups or individuals

Recognize keywords for automated response

Our pilot began in June 2008

A nurse and 10 CHWs the first week

Start with basics

Micro-solar phone chargers

Impact in six months:
1. Saved $3,000 in motorcycle fuel
2. Saved 2,000 staff hours
3. Doubled enrollment in Tuberculosis program

A qualitative outcome: empowerment

Local ownership (of tool, project, data)
Builds on local awareness
Platform is free and works on available hardware
Highly replicable and scalable
No need for the internet
Easy to use
Responds to ‘their’ need (bottom up)
Why it works

Current Sites

New Clinical Partners

Expanding Rapidly in 2009-2010

Extending the FrontlineSMS Platform

OpenMRS integration: Moving from paper
records to mobile electronic records

OpenMRS is in the orange, moving towards green

Tracking disease burden &
health services geographically

How a text message becomes a map

The best crisis communication tool is the
tool you were using before the crisis

CellLab: Camera phone becomes a diagnostic tool

A pattern matching algorithm can diagnose
diseases like Tuberculosis and Malaria

Print a pre-paid shipping label at hopephones.org

1. Email isaac@medic.frontlinesms.com with a brief
description of your patient population, clinical
environment, organizational resources
2. We help you brainstorm use cases
3. You decide whether you need someone from our
team on site to help you get started
4. We put your clinic on hopephones.org and start
gathering phones
How do I become a clinical partner?

1. Free & open source software and a team of
implementers helping low-resource clinics and hospitals
2. The core platform works with lowest common
denominator everything
3. Currently serving 1.2 million patients, working with
global partners to reach several million more this year
4. Upcoming innovations include medical records via
mobile phone, mapping, and cheap, mobile diagnostics
What should I remember about FrontlineSMS:Medic?

Thank You
Isaac Holeman, Clinical Programs Director at FrontlineSMS:Medic
contact: www.isaacholeman.org/smp