SMS, Medical Records, Mapping, & Mobile Diagnostics
Isaac Holeman, Clinical Program Director at FrontlineSMS:Mediccontact: 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% ofglobal population)
In 2002, mobile subscribers overtook fixed linesubscribers
64% of all mobile users are in the developingworld
By 2012, 50% of individuals living in remote areasin 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 prevalenttechnology and a prevalent clinical model
FrontlineSMS: a laptop and a cellphone 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
15
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 fuel2. Saved 2,000 staff hours3. 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 paperrecords 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 thetool you were using before the crisis
CellLab: Camera phone becomes a diagnostic tool
A pattern matching algorithm can diagnosediseases like Tuberculosis and Malaria
Print a pre-paid shipping label at hopephones.org
How do I become a clinical partner?
1. Email [email protected] with a briefdescription of your patient population, clinicalenvironment, organizational resources
2. We help you brainstorm use cases
3. You decide whether you need someone from ourteam on site to help you get started
4. We put your clinic on hopephones.org and startgathering phones
What should I remember about FrontlineSMS:Medic?
1. Free & open source software and a team ofimplementers helping low-resource clinics and hospitals
2. The core platform works with lowest commondenominator everything
3. Currently serving 1.2 million patients, working withglobal partners to reach several million more this year
4. Upcoming innovations include medical records viamobile phone, mapping, and cheap, mobile diagnostics
Isaac Holeman, Clinical Programs Director at FrontlineSMS:Mediccontact: www.isaacholeman.org/smp
Thank You