Health care informatics

MHealth4CBS IN South Africa: A Review of the Role of Mobile Phone Technology for Monitoring and Evaluation of Community Based Health Services

Published by: 
Medical Research Council

Against a background of growing access to, and increasing enthusiasm for the use of mobile phone technology in health services (mHealth) in low and middle income countries (LMICs), we reviewed the potential usefulness of mHealth for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the planned integration of community based health services (mHealth4CBS) in South Africa. It forms part of a portfolio of support for the development of M&E systems for community based PHC outreach teams currently being implemented as part of the PHC re-engineering process. The purpose of the investigation was both to shed light on an emerging field and to provide recommendations for policy makers.

The role of ISDS in the Rural District Health Support Programme (RDHSP)

Published by: 
Health Systems Trust
The Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) is an initiative driven from the Presidents office. The ISRDP is a ten-year programme emphasising the integration of planning for services and is a major new developmental role for local government. Thirteen of the most disadvantaged rural district municipalities in South Africa have been identified for this programme. These following district councils have been identified as the pilot sites or 'nodal' points in the programme: Chris Hani, Oliver Tambo, Ukhahlamba, Alfred Nzo, Zululand, Bohlabelo, Central Karoo, Kgalagadi, Umzinyathi, Sekhukhune, Thabo Mofutsanyane, Ugu, and Umkhanyakude.

Telemedicine

Series Name: 
HST Update
Published by: 
Health Systems Trust
Technology has developed in leaps and bounds in the last century, and health has always sought to make use of these advances in delivering better health care services. A new initiative worldwide is Telecommunications. Telemedicine, according to Dr. Salah H. Mandil, Director of Health Informatics and Telematics at the World Health Organisation, is the practice of medical care using audio, visual and data communications: this includes medical care delivery, consultation, diagnosis, treatment, education and the transfer of medical data. Education covers both the education of the patient and the continuing education of the health care staff. South Africa has embarked on its telemedicine project in April 1999. This issue looks at the pilot implementation of telemedicine in the Northern Cape, the Eastern Cape and at Kimberley Hospital. There are at present 30 pilot sites in the country, where community or district hospitals are linked to larger central hospitals. Services that are being offered include radiology, pathology, ultrasound and antenatal screening. How effective has this new service been? Positive responses have been received by doctors doing their community service in the country, but there are still technical challenges facing implementation of the project. Telemedicine is regarded as a tool to complement the current health care delivery in South Africa. It's full impact has still to be determined.