Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

X Out TB

last updated Oct 11, 2011

Overview

Implementing organization: 
Innovations in International Health of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Interactive Research and Development (IRD), Indus Hospital Karachi.
Legal Status: 
Private (not-for-profit)
Year Launched: 
2008
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
All income levels

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Donor

Technology

Technology Used: 
Phones › SMS/MMS (Text Message), Phones › Voice, Other
Technology Purpose: 
Facilitating Patient Communications › Encouraging Patient Compliance
Summary: 

X out TB seeks to reduce the necessity of daily health worker monitoring of TB patients by using urinalysis tests strips and cell phones to remotely confirm adherence to medication.

Key program components: 

Patients in the program are given monthly supplies of urinalysis test strips that are dispensed every 24 hours out of a special dispenser. The strips, developed by the X out TB team, contain four printed numbers and embedded chemicals that turn a certain combination of numbers a new color when they react with the urine of patients who have taken TB medication. Patients then send an SMS to a database reporting the numbers on their strip, which is monitored by health care workers and doctors. Patients are incentivized to adhere to their medication through offers of micro-finance loans or cell-phone minutes.

Program history: 

X out TB was born out of the MIT IDEAS competition, which encourages student groups to come up with new technologies to solve international development problems. In 2007, the competition focused on solving issues of TB noncompliance.

Additional Information

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