The Architecture of a Software System for Supporting Community-based Primary Health Care with Mobile Technology: The Mobile Technology for Community Health (MoTeCH) Initiative in Ghana

Authors

  • Bruce Bradford MacLeod Columbia University, University of Southern Maine
  • James Phillips Columbia University
  • Allison Stone Columbia University
  • Aliya Walji Grameen Foundation during course of Project
  • John Koku Awoonor-Williams Ghana Health Service

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v4i1.3910

Abstract

This paper describes the software architecture of a system designed in response to the health development potential of two concomitant trends in poor countries: i) The rapid expansion of community health worker deployment, now estimated to involve over a million workers in Africa and Asia, and ii) the global proliferation of mobile technology coverage and use. Known as the Mobile Technology for Community Health (MoTeCH) Initiative, our system adapts and integrates existing software applications for mobile data collection, electronic medical records, and interactive voice response to bridge health information gaps in rural Africa. MoTeCH calculates the upcoming schedule of care for each client and, when care is due, notifies the client and community health workers responsible for that client. MoTeCH also automates the aggregation of health status and health service delivery information for routine reports. The paper concludes with a summary of lessons learned and future system development needs.

Author Biographies

Bruce Bradford MacLeod, Columbia University, University of Southern Maine

Visiting Research Scientist, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, University of Southern Maine, PhD

James Phillips, Columbia University

Professor of Clinical Population and Family Health, PhD

Allison Stone, Columbia University

Project Manager at Columbia University Medical Center, MPH

Aliya Walji, Grameen Foundation during course of Project

Manager, Technology, BA, BS

John Koku Awoonor-Williams, Ghana Health Service

Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Ghana Health Service, MD, MPP, MPH

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Published

2012-05-17

How to Cite

MacLeod, B. B., Phillips, J., Stone, A., Walji, A., & Awoonor-Williams, J. K. (2012). The Architecture of a Software System for Supporting Community-based Primary Health Care with Mobile Technology: The Mobile Technology for Community Health (MoTeCH) Initiative in Ghana. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v4i1.3910

Issue

Section

Original Articles