Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

Community Accessible and Sustainable Health System (Ca:sh)

last updated Sep 27, 2011

Overview

Implementing organization: 
Dimagi, Media Lab Asia, All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Year Launched: 
2002
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor

Technology

Technology Used: 
PDA/Tablet
Summary: 

In Ballabhgarh, India, Media Lab Asia community health workers used an open source software application on PDAs called Ca:sh—the Community Accessible and Sustainable Health system—to collect medical and demographic data.

Key program components: 

Large, rural areas in developing countries often lack comprehensive collection of health and population data. The Ca:sh pilot aimed to improve maternal and child health through Compaq iPAQs, which could run a MySQL database capable of storing up to 7,000 records. An evaluation of the five-month pilot “indicated high acceptance of the technology and reduction in total time for entry of data…the [health workers] were satisfied with the user interface and were able to depend entirely on the handheld, replacing their existing paper-based records.”

Media Lab Asia now is exploring future applications, such as mobile surveys and disease-case management, and has ported the software to less expensive Palm OS-based devices.

Additional Information

Technology Info
Purpose: Improving Data Management (Collection)

Hide this

Need help?

Using the CHMI Programs Database

  • Browse: Browse the database by applying one or more filters to narrow your search by characteristics. Click the "x" to remove any of the filters you've selected. Click "reset search" to remove all filters and start over.
  • Search: Search the database for a specific program by typing a name or keyword into the search box.
  • Add: If the program you're looking for is not in the CHMI database, submit the program to the CHMI pipeline by clicking here to add a program profile.
  • Update: If you notice incorrect or outdated information, or would like to help complete a profile for a CHMI pipeline program, request a change by clicking here, or at the top of the program profile.

Have a question? Check the FAQs first. Don’t see your question? Contact us.