FrontlineSMS: Medic was a 6-month pilot program in Malawi that used mobile phones and FrontlineSMS software to improve healthcare delivery to rural communities. Health workers were given cell phones to communicate with clinics to get advice and report patient information, allowing more efficient care. Over the pilot period, 150 additional patients received treatment, healthcare workers saved over 1,000 travel hours, and $3,500 was saved on fuel costs compared to the previous paper-based system. The success of the pilot demonstrated how mobile technology can expand access to healthcare in areas with limited infrastructure.

1. FrontlineSMS: Medic
Aaron Uhrmacher

2. 85%
MALAWIANS LIVING
IN RURAL AREAS

3. Limited infrastructure prevents health workers from
delivering efficient healthcare to rural areas.

4. Situation Analysis
• Health workers travel on foot.
• Record patient interactions on paper.
• Bring records to a central clinic for further
instruction.
• Don't get back to the clinic more than once a
month.
• Patients remain untreated too long.

5. Functioning
• Health
• Employment
• Education

6. Capability
• Live longer, healthier life
• Maintain employment
• Family time
• Overall quality of live improved

7. ?
How can mobile
phones improve
health care

8. 50% people living in remote areas of the world
who will have mobile phones by 2012.

9. FrontlineSMS
• Started in 2005
• Open source platform
• Runs with laptop and cell phone
• Used to communicate via SMS with
large groups of people
• Basis for FrontlineSMS: Medic

14. August - December 2009

15. BENEFITS
• Software is free
• Ease of use
• Internet not required
• Replicable
• Saved history

16. 6 Month Pilot (Malawi)
• Hospital serves 250K people
• Patients live as far as 100 miles away
in 700 different villages
• 450 community health workers
recruited as volunteers

17. Technology
•75 Motorola V195 cell phones ($15/ea)
•15 Nokia 6210 cell phones ($40/ea)
•10 Nokia 6100 cell phones ($50/ea)
•1 Falcom SAMBA75 GSM modem ($200)
•1 Compaq Presario laptop (donated)
•100 cell phone chargers + Malawian adapters
•FrontlineSMS software (free)

18. Results
• 150 patients received care
• 2x more patients seen
• 1,000 travel hours saved
• US$3500 saved on fuel

20. MORE INFO
• http://instedd.org/
• http://mobihealthnews.com/
• http://www.frontlinesms.com/

21. IMAGE CREDITS
• Slide 1: http://www.jopsa.org/
• Slide 2: http://www.isaacholeman.org/
• Slide 3: http://www.jopsa.org/
• Slide 8: http://change.org
• Slide 10: http://www.jopsa.org/
• Slide 11: http://www.isaacholeman.org/
• Slide 12: http://www.jopsa.org/
• Slide 13: http://frontlinesms.org/
• Slide 14: http://mobilesinmalawi.blogspot.com
• Slide 16-18: http://www.trekearth.com/