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CellDR
Challenges Entered:
"CellDR," is an algorithm based mobile phone triage system that increases access for underserved populations in need of medical advice, consultation and referral, by improving access and increasing coverage while reducing overall medical costs.
Objectives
- Utilize mobile technology to improve access to care for marginalized communities worldwide;
- Improve effectiveness and efficiency of public health care delivery system;
- Strengthen referral networks within the different levels of healthcare providers and;
- Provide state of the art care through implementation of new technology to support medical advice
Triage Center
The triage center will be staffed at district and regional levels to provide mobile technology-based support. Centers will be established in existing health care facilities where cell phone coverage can easily be obtained. Medical staff will answer phone calls or SMS messages from patients who are unable to make a visit for financial and time reasons. Some call centers will have specialists. The center will have an established system of referrals for emergency health conditions, where phone calls will be transferred to medical staff to address emergencies.
Mobile phone protocol
Algorithms will be designed for medical technicians to receive and diagnose health problems. Medical providers will be trained and have access to all the necessary information to solve health ailments. At one of the central level sites, calls can be transferred to "specialists."
Kyte Software
"Kyte provides live or on-demand content, mobile production and distribution capabilities delivered in real-time to both Internet and mobile audiences.
Why CellDR?
- Lowers healthcare costs for patients
- Improves access to care for marginalized populations
- Improves efficiency of health care services
- Builds confidence in the health care system
- Increases access for male population
- Increases education around important health issues, including highly stigmatized issues
- Builds capacity of public health system
- Provides more timely response to urgent medical issues in rural areas
- Provides new source of revenue for healthcare centers and communities
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Comment
Such a project is running fine in Bangladesh. The mobile phone operator GrameenPhone (parent company Telenor of Norway) started this for its users where subscribers call 789 for consultancy at a low fee of Tk.15 for first three minutes and Tk.5 thereafter for each minute. Now, another operator Banglalink (parent Orascom Telecom of Egypt) has joined in the same recently. This kind of project has massive potential to help communities and nations.