The document discusses four patterns observed in mHealth initiatives in the developing world and the lessons they provide. The patterns are: 1) information shared between patients is the most valuable healthcare information; 2) technology helps fill gaps in healthcare but humans are essential; 3) successful initiatives build on existing systems; and 4) understanding user motivation and meaning is necessary for behavior change. The lessons are to leverage patient communities, support human infrastructure, build on existing systems, and deeply understand user context.

1. Hello.
An mHealth Prescription: What We Can Learn from the Developing World
David Aylward, Ashoka and Kate Canales, frog

2. Four Patterns and Their Lessons:
What We Can Learn from the Developing World

3. Pattern 1:
Information shared between
patients is the most valuable
information in healthcare.

6. Temptdxx

7. Information shared between patients is the most
valuable information in healthcare.
Lesson:
Get comfortable with these non-
clinical sources. Use technology to
reinforce patient communities with
accurate, relevant information.
mHealth World Congress 7/29/11 7

8. Pattern 2:
The gaps in healthcare and self-care
are filled by humans, not technology.
Technology just helps.

10. PatientTouchxx

11. The gaps in healthcare and selfcare are filled by humans,
not technology. Technology just helps.
Lesson:
Build tools to support and extend the
human infrastructure, not replace it.
mHealth World Congress 7/29/11 11

12. Pattern 3:
Successful initiatives usually ride
on existing systems.
Photo credit: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP – Getty Images

13. Photo credit: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP – Getty Images

14. Prostate Netxx

15. Successful initiatives usually ride on existing systems.
Lesson:
Find systems that are working to
support people, then build on them.
(And we need to remember to look
outside of healthcare.)
mHealth World Congress 7/29/11 15

16. Pattern 4:
You can’t design for behavior
change if you don’t understand
motivation and meaning.

18. Project Masilulekexx

19. Project Masilulekexx

20. You can’t change behavior if you don’t understand
motivation and meaning
Lesson:
Start small and learn your way to the
right solutions through a deep
understanding of patient and user
context.
mHealth World Congress 7/29/11 20

21. © 2011 frog. All rights reserved.

22. Patients Like Mexx

23. The Well Projectxx