Introduction to mHealthImproving access to high quality health care

Steve Ollis

D-tree International

Overview

What is mHealth?

mHealth in Tanzania

Examples of projects

Challenges

What is mHealth?

The practice of medicine and public health, supported by mobile

devices. The term is most commonly used in reference to using

mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs,

for health services and information.

The adoption of mHealth seeks to take advantage of the explosion

in mobile devices available worldwide

Public health research

Primary care

Emergency care

Management of long-term conditions

Information and self help

mHealth hits every part of the health system

EpiSurveyor, Child

Count+, disease

surveillance, data

mining EMRs

Telstra/Ericsson

breast cancer

screening, 3G

Doctor, Sana

Wellcore emergency

response, Orange

Smartnumbers,

Frontline SMS

Directly observed

treatments, Ginger.io,

self-management

applications

Medicine Link

(China), MiQuit,

Freedom HIV/AIDS,

Mobile Medline Plus

12580 appt.

booking (China),

Frontline SMS:

Medic, EMRs,

Sproxil

Whole system

efficiency

improvement

mHealth and health market innovations focus in the

developing world and rural populations

Source: CHMI

Geographic mapping of programs with

concentrations in South Asia and East Africa

Children <5 167

Children >5 115

Young adults (13-24) 136

Elderly 14

Men 77

Women 277

Disabled 18

Ethnic minority 17

Formal sector workers 32

Informal sector workers 46

General population 522

Military 13

Urban/Peri-Urban/Rural 404

Rural 332

Urban 158

Peri-Urban 126

Target populations

Target geography

Communication to large

populations—both targeted

and general—is enabled

Standardization, capture and

communication of patient and

supply data enabled

Remote monitoring and

diagnostics of patients

enabled to reduce costs

Remote health workers and

patients enabled through

data and communication

And mobile technology is particularly enabling in

certain areas of need:

Bringing healthcare to unserved or underserved populations

Increasing the effectiveness and reducing the costs of healthcare delivery

Improving the effectiveness of public health programs (incl. research) and preventing illness (incl. behavior change)

Treating chronic diseases, and keeping people out of hospital

Source: China Mobile

Area of need Examples

mHealth in Tanzania, driven by the general public, will improve healthcare

outcomes throughout the nation. Specifically, mHealth will be:

• Impactful

• Sustainable

• Scalable

• Secure

Tanzania mHealth Vision Established

Tanzania known as a world leader in

mHealth

• Transparent

• Coordinated

• Innovative

Map

Disease surveillance

Logistics

Telemedicine

Clinical decision support

Health messaging

Community Health workers

Mobile money

More!

mHealth Tanzania Partnership

Innovative public-private-partnership, working closely

with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of

Tanzania, USG CDC, and numerous Tanzanian and

international public and private sector partners

Convenes multiple sectors, combining expertise and

resources to implement sustainable and scalable public

health programs that leverage the booming mobile

phone infrastructure in Tanzania

Partnership Approach Scale nationally, mobile-centric information solutions that

leverage mobile phones primarily, as well as PCs, smart

phones, the web, and fixed line phone lines

Work in concert with initiatives underway in the MOHSW and

COSTECH, including integration with the national enterprise

architecture

Leverage expanding private sector interest in ‘mHealth’ and

‘mMoney’ to develop long-term sustainable PPPs

Collaborate with other governmental and non-governmental

implementing partners

Tanzania mHealth Community of Practice

Over 90 members from over 30 organizations across

government, industry and non governmental sector

Co-chaired by Ministry of Health and D-tree International

Quarterly meetings and 4 technical working groups

Share experiences and challenges and identify potential

collaborations

http://groups.google.com/group/tanzania-mhealth

Direct to client communications

Clinical Decision Support

IDSR System Health facility workers report disease surveillance

data by making a free call from the field using any mobile phone

Diseases reported follow WHO standards:

Diseases of Public Health Importance

Epidemic-prone Diseases

Diseases Targeted for Eradication / Elimination

Real-time SMS & email alerts are generated by the system for follow-up and action

Mobile money to facilitate care

Community Health Workers

Over 250 HBCPs in Dar

using mobile phones to

provide care

Reminder option for

pending referrals and

visits to clients

Supervisors Update and

reminders for overdue

visits (SMS)

• No scaling plan

• Lack of Data

Standards/Interoperability

• Cost

• Trust

• Knowledge Gap

• Communication

• Privacy and Security

Challenges Identified

• Lack of private sector incentives

• Infrastructure: power and

network coverage

• Siloed Funding

• MoHSW Procurement

• Human Resources Gap

• Managing Collaboration

• Phone Adoption

For more information:

Steve Ollis

www.d-tree.org

sollis@d-tree.org

+255 783 346 070

Asanteni!