Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

Integrated Healthcare Information Service Through Mobile Telephony (IHISM)

last updated Feb 14, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
University of Botswana
Implementation Partner(s): 
Botswana National Call Centre on HIV/AIDS, Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
All income levels

Funding

Funders: 
Microsoft Research Digital Inclusion Program

Technology

Technology Used: 
Phones › SMS/MMS (Text Message)
Technology Purpose: 
Improving Data Management › Data Organization/Analysis, Facilitating Patient Communications › General Health Education
Summary: 

This system uses a mobile phone-based software application to allow health workers to capture, store, process, transmit, and access patient records.

Key program components: 

In those developing countries boasting near-saturation of mobile phones, the potential benefits of mHealth strategies are the greatest. Microsoft and the University of Botswana are taking advantage of mobile telephony’s broad reach in the country to develop an Integrated Healthcare Information Service (IHISM). The system serves both health workers and the general public. It uses a mobile phone-based software application to allow health workers to capture, store, process, transmit, and access patient records. This results in lower costs and greater efficiency by eliminating redundancy and reducing the amount of time devoted to data input. The public can also turn to IHISM for information: individuals pose frequently asked questions about HIV/AIDS via SMS messages and receive a reply straight to their mobile phones. The project partners have identified several challenges, including localization and customization for illiterate users, but overall feel that the system has the potential to become a valuable tool and take on increased scope.

Additional Information

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