UNPAN - United Nations Public Administration Network

Cell-Life

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:15:30 GMT

Cell-life uses Information Communication Technology (ICT) to develop solutions that support the management and monitoring of HIV/Aids in the public health sector. Their solutions have a central focus on treatment (ART) but also cover prevention and Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) aspects. Additionally, they develop custom solutions to meet specific requirements in other arenas. All solutions fall under a Cell-Life version of the open-source software GNU GPL (General Public License), which allows for widespread public access, modification and distribution of applications in the public sector.
These are two examples of Cell-life mobile solutions:
Aftercare - A cell phone menu-based, real-time system for counselors to capture treatment-relevant data from the patient, such as symptoms, drug adherence and socio-economic factors. This information is instantly and directly logged to a central database. Cell-Life''''s technology eliminates the need for cumbersome paperwork, and provides a solution to log accurate data about patients on a large scale and with minimum cost, maximum efficiency and significantly less human error. In addition, various modifications to this system can result in a variety of application solutions that require remote data collection components.
Remote Booking for VCT - This is an Internet and cell phone-based system that allows large organizations (corporations and universities) to manage the bookings for HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) sessions.

eMedic

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 05:58:59 GMT

Software, designed for Palm and Pocket PCs but now available for desktop and laptop computers, that provides an emergency medical reference library. It contains various modules: medical calculators, sample ECGs (electrocardiogram) strips, anatomical illustrations, reference cards on more than 100 traumas and medical emergencies. Also, eMedic provides a list of most prescribed medicines, emergency medications and a list of popular medical acronyms.

Mobile Phones for Keeping Track of HIV and TB

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:04:19 GMT

South African researchers have developed novel applications for mobile phone technology that improves adherence to HIV and TB treatments. These approaches have obvious benefits for the patients as well as helping to improve the health infrastructure and monitoring systems.

The Cell-Life project, backed by local mobile phone giant Vodacom, has developed software and data management systems that let clinic workers use their mobile phones to monitor patients'' HIV treatment and spot health problems before they become life-threatening. The phones are loaded with R55 (US$8.50) in airtime each month and equipped with a special menu that enables HIV counselors to record data on a patient''s symptoms and whether they are sticking to drug regimes, as well as other factors that might affect their health — such as a lack of money to pay for transport to the clinic, or a shortage of food. The information collected is instantly relayed over Vodacom''s network to a central database, which clinic staff can access over a secure Internet connection. Cell-Life has just completed successful pilot projects in townships in Cape Town and Durban, in which about 80 counselors were trained to use the mobile phones and keep track of nearly 800 patients. There are plans to expand the project''s reach into other provinces, and to develop ''reverse billing'' software that will enable the clinic to be charged instead of the counselors using the mobile phones. They could then contact clinic staff in an emergency even if they had no airtime left — a measure that could save lives in communities with few fixed-line phones.

Charge Capture Suite

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:36:22 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

This product helps hospitals improve the following services to its patients —billing accuracy, and billing process.

This may increase revenue and simplify the billing process for physicians and billing staff.

MDCoder Capture

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:40:00 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 MDCoder Capture is software that allows doctors to access a central billing system through mobile devices to ensure efficient and speedy processing.

Patient Keeper

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:44:44 GMT

Patient Keeper offers a comprehensive collection of software, handheld devices and accessories for mobile health care professionals.
PatientKeeper Provider Directory is a software product that enables health care providers to track down contact information or numbers for other physicians quickly using their PDAs. In today''s increasingly specialized healthcare environment, the number of other physicians a health care professional may need to work with is dramatically increasing. This software reduces the tracking time thereby increasing efficiency.
PatientKeeper Charge Capture is a product designed for PDAs to ensure that health care providers can capture and submit charges in an accurate, compliant and timely fashion. This can be done at the point of care, in the office, or virtually anywhere. Loss of revenue stemming from processing delays, errors, and inaccuracies can be very costly. This software can streamline the billing and revenue collection process.
PatientKeeper eSignature is a software product that provides for fast, accurate electronic signing on mobile devices, such as PDAs. In most instances when a health care provider enters a clinical note on a PDA, in order for it to be a part of the official medical record, it must be reviewed, edited, and signed. This can be a lengthy process that can waste time and delay the availability of the medical record. eSignature enables health care providers to speed up the process using PDAs.
PatientKeeper Messaging is a software product that uses mobile technologies to improve secure clinician-to-clinician communications.

hTrak

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:47:10 GMT

The hTrak handheld application uses the very latest handheld Windows Mobile
scanning solutions to reduce high cost procedure areas such as operating theatres, radiology, cardiac catheter labs, endoscopies, and day surgery.

Using mobile handheld barcode scanning devices, clients can capture important information at the point of the procedure. They then make this information accessible through either an hTrak web server environment or through a server installed on the client''s own IT infrastructure using industry standard web browser technology. Business processes can be automated to meet individual client requirements.

There are two global barcode standards used in the unique identification of products in the Health marketplace. They are the HIBCC and the UCC/EAN standards. hTrak has coded the logic to be able to recognize both standards and extract the appropriate data elements. These data elements include the UPN (Universal Product Number) as well as the lot number and expiration date.

The Doctor’s PDA and Smartphone Handbook

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:50:30 GMT

PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) are becoming an ever more useful tool for doctors. These m-technology devices are being used to organize office operations as well as medical reference information. Doctors’ Gadgets produces this handbook, guides doctors through this technology, features what is available to buy or as a free download, and how to make the best use of PDAs to ensure maximum medical efficiency.

Doctors’ Gadgets holds annual workshops with the Royal Society of Medicine’s Young Fellows on the subject of PDAs in healthcare, provides medical technology information and a discussion forum for doctors. The Doctors’ Gadgets web site also provides links to many other sites involved with m-health, such as award winning medical software for the Palm OS or Pocket PC PDA.

Rwanda TRACnet HIV/AIDS Solution

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:14:13 GMT

The Rwanda Ministry of Health strives to provide and continually improve the health services of the Rwandan population through the provision of preventive, curative and rehabilitative health care, thereby contributing to the reduction of poverty and enhancing the general well being of the population.
Rwanda is rapidly expanding anti-retroviral (ARV) care and treatment for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Today, approximately 10,000 Rwandan adults are receiving treatment, and the government plans to expand coverage to as many as 101,000 adults and children by 2007.
Information for timely and informed decision-making is critical for Rwanda to successfully achieve its goal of rapid ARV program scale up. Effective program management requires policy makers and care providers to closely monitor program issues. These issues include patient adherence to treatment regimens, drug resistance, ARV drug and lab supplies (to avoid shortages or stock-outs). The government''''s ability to establish effective program management mechanisms is vital to successful delivery of ART to an increasing number of people.
TRACnet is Rwanda''''s dynamic Information Technology solution designed to collect, store, retrieve, and disseminate critical program, drug, and patient information related to HIV/AIDS care and treatment. The system was implemented to support the Rwandan Government''''s vision of rapidly scaling up HIV/AIDS clinical services in a variety of health care settings. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and the Treatment Research and AIDS Centre (TRAC), TRACnet is being deployed to increase the efficiency of Rwanda''''s HIV/AIDS program management and enhance the quality of patient care.
With a bilingual English and French telephone and web interface, TRACnet employs a practical and sustainable approach to using information technology. By leveraging existing infrastructure - mobile telephone networks, connected and stand alone computers, and underlying paper record systems - TRACnet has been deployed nationwide to connect every health facility providing ARV treatment and related services.
TRACnet provides a central repository of HIV/AIDS program information and delivers real-time information for decision-making. The system has transformed a largely paper-based one-way information flow that took several weeks, into a bi-directional data exchange completed in seconds. It allows decision-makers and supervisors to quickly analyze and respond to program information.
TRACnet includes program indicators, drug inventory information from the point of care, patient registry, lab results, group and individual communications, and management dashboards.
The results achieved since deployment in January 2005 include:
Coverage: Deployed in all 94 health facilities offering ART in Rwanda, accounting for 100% of all ART patients in Rwanda. In addition, approximately 6,000 individual case records are monitored securely using the system.
Trained Personnel: More than 200 site level users have been trained to submit monthly program indicator reports and weekly consumables (drug) reports.
Access: Most users (more than 90%) access the system via a toll-free telephone interface, thereby minimizing infrastructure-linked constraints (unreliable power supply, poor or non-existent internet connection), as well as the cost of accessing the internet.
User Adoption: Anecdotal evidence has shown that most health facility personnel own mobile phones and that those who have phones are accustomed to using text messaging features they demonstrate an ease of use after 15 to 30 minutes of training.

Andhra Pradesh AESSIMS

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:04:40 GMT

Throughout Asia, up to 50,000 people a year become infected with Japanese Encephalitis, a mosquito-spread disease that primarily affects children under fifteen. The disease is fatal for 30 percent of its victims, with half of its survivors suffering long-term neurological disability.

Voxiva is collaborating with two organizations to deploy the Acute Euplalitis Syndrome Surveillance Information System (AESSIMS) in Andhra Pradesh, India: Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) and the Government of Andhra Pradesh. PATH is an international NGO based in Seattle, Washington. The Children’s Vaccine Program (CVP) is a PATH program that aims to improve Japanese Encephalitis (JE) disease surveillance, accelerate development of an improved vaccine, and to integrate vaccine immunization in Asia.

In 2004, PATH, Voxiva and the Government of Andhra Pradesh launched AESSIMS. This program is designed to build health capacity at the field level by enabling front-line health workers to report disease incidence through a combination of telephone and web based technology that leverages available infrastructure. AESSIMS enables health officials to better understand the scope of the disease impact and to strategically allocate resources to areas with highest prevalence and need. Analytical tools, such as a GIS-map, provide visual representations of JE prevalence.

At the district level, real-time information enables officials to readily identify and respond to disease outbreaks .through daily, weekly and monthly reports.. Officials can also use the system’s analytic tools to assess epidemiological trends and coordinate strategic medium and long-term public health interventions. Front-line health workers can rapidly communicate and share real-time information on detected cases. Health professionals can use any phone or Internet-connected device to report suspected and lab-confirmed cases.

Tamil Nadu Health Watch

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:15:15 GMT

The devastating tsunami which struck Southeast Asia in 2004 severely impacted Tamil Nadu. To contain and reduce escalating disease incidence during the post-tsunami relief effort, health officials needed a surveillance network that allowed them to easily access and analyze disease information in real-time.

In May 2005, Tamil Nadu Health Watch was launched in the four worst devastated districts. Health Watch allows health workers, even in remote areas, to immediately report disease incidence data to health officials. In turn, health managers can quickly analyze information about suspected cases, share technical information and resources, and initiate an informed response.

By linking Primary Health centers with district experts and program managers, activities can be coordinated more effectively and resources (e.g., supplies, technical personnel and transport) can be allocated more efficiently. Voxiva trained more than 300 doctors from Primary Health centers using simple, easy to use bilingual manuals and interactive sessions. The training sessions were coordinated with the State to reinforce disease surveillance guidelines and outbreak response protocols.

The phone and web-based data collection system strengthens Tamil Nadu’s disease surveillance capabilities at the district and sub-district levels. The solution maximizes the use of the existing communications infrastructure – mobile phones, fixed line and the Internet - making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution.

EasyTRAC

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:26:28 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 EasyTRAC is an Internet and Palm – based solution for documenting health – related services provided to special education students. The services provided can easily be documented at anytime and from anyplace. Using a Palm, data can be forwarded to a central database to for checking compliance and for initiating billing.

HazardPoint

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:28:13 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The HazardPoint is a powerful platform that integrates existing environmental monitoring devices with handheld computers, GPS location technology, GIS mapping and real-time communications. The product addresses the heightened need for organizations to react to hazmat incidents rapidly, using credible information. HazardPoint is a flexible software and hardware solution that significantly enhances the data collection process for first responders and environmental investigators.

Mobile Validity

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:30:52 GMT

Mobile Validity data collection tools and deploy intelligent forms across mobile, wireless, PC, and web platforms. Software tools facilitate data synchronization, quality assurance, and data integration with databases.

Intelligent forms can be written without programming and published across platforms. The data collection technology is comprehensive providing built-in logic, completeness checks, audit trails, version control, security and authentication. These are two examples of how Mobile Validity is being used:

Asthma Critical Event Response System, New York, NY
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Asthma Initiative Program was designed to help improve the outcomes of New York City school children by:
• Monitoring students across asthma critical events more effectively
• Notifying healthcare personnel and parents of critical asthma events
• Promoting general awareness
• Improving preventative maintenance of the disease
As a part of the integrated solution developed by Warsaw Group, the Mobile Validity software was used for collecting demographic and clinical data at various citywide sites.

Wireless Integrated Pest Management Software System, New York, NY
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) launched an initiative in public housing to reduce pest infestations and significantly lower the use of, and exposure to, toxic pesticides.
Mobile Validity data collection software on mobile pen tables allows 23 inspectors to collect data at the point of their inspection work on computerized questionnaires. Inspectors upload their completed reports to the server using a wireless network.

San Diego Project SHARE

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:34:08 GMT

Project SHARE serves two Voxiva customers working in collaboration: the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). HHSA provides a broad range of health and social services, promoting wellness, self-sufficiency, and a better quality of life for all individuals and families in San Diego County. SDCOE oversees 42 school districts with approximately 600 schools and about a half a million students.

Concern about the control of infectious disease and increasing fears of bioterrorism have highlighted the need to significantly strengthen disease surveillance and response capabilities. Real time information plays a crucial role in the ability to respond to health emergencies. Frontline health workers, including family doctors and school nurses, are the primary entry point into the health system for most patients. As such, frontline workers can serve as an “early warning system” for disease outbreaks of all kinds.

In December, 2003 the Community Epidemiology Branch (CEB) of HHSA in collaboration SDCOE launched Project SHARE. Through Project SHARE, public health officials can monitor data submitted in real time through a web based interface, including a map-based view of data using GIS (geographic information system). Officials can use Project SHARE’s communication features to reach individual health workers, send broadcast voice mail, e-mail, and SMS alerts to groups, post the latest health guidance, and host conference calls. When predefined trigger events are reported, the system generates emergency notifications via e-mail, voicemail, pager and SMS text messages.

The information collected through Project SHARE is accessed and analyzed by the Community Epidemiology group which looks for trend information and identifies and investigates abnormal levels.

EpiHandy

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:44:15 GMT

EpiHandy is a product that provides a way of surveying and collecting data in health and development research. This product eliminates bulky paper questionnaires and subsequent data entry as well as costly errors related to manual data entry and lack of validation of data at time of collection.
With EpiHandy the users can their own custom surveys, tap in respondents’ answers to questions accurately and quickly directly on the screen of any number of handheld computers.

EpiHandy consists of several interrelated programs including industry standard SQL databases for storage of data.

EpiHandy Server database software uses industry standard SQL databases (MSDE 2000). The latest version is 0.906.100.

EpiHandy Study Manager designs and manages the studies. The latest version is 1.5.490

EpiHandy MobileClient collects the data using handheld computers. The latest version is 0.906.813

EpiSurveyor

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:47:40 GMT

EpiSurveyor is a free, open source tool enabling anyone to easily a handheld data entry form, collect data on a mobile device, and then transfer the data back to a desktop or laptop for analysis. With EpiSurveyer, a windows-based program, health care workers enter survey questions on a desktop or laptop. The resulting form is then published to any number of mobile devices, such as a PDA or smartphone. The mobile devices can then be taken into the field and used to record information. Afterward, the devices are synchronized with a desktop or laptop, with the ability to combine all of the data collected into a single table.

In June 2006 a partnership between DataDyne, the UN Foundation, the Vodafone Group Foundation, and World Health Organization was launched to support the fight against measles in Burkino Faso, Kenya, and Zambia. Data officers in each country received training in how to use the EpiSurveyor tool via a Palm handheld computer to collect information from clinics, and then aggregate and analyze it nationally. By replacing paper-based processes, the countries’ ministries of health have dramatically speeded up the rate at which vital information could be collected and the impact of current treatments assessed. Based on the success of this three-country pilot, plans are underway to new digital health systems for use in over 20 measles-affected countries in Africa, as well as to enable health care workers to use the technology to fight other diseases such as malaria.

PDAs in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:50:28 GMT

In Ghana, community volunteers have been using PDAs to collect data as part of a measles vaccination program. In Kenya, medical students were equipped with PDAs loaded with relevant information about their studies in obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine and pediatrics. In Uganda, practicing physicians were given PDAs containing basic reference material as part of their continuing medical education.

The Ghana project yielded compelling evidence of the value of PDAs for data collection and reporting. Data from 2400 field surveys were submitted to the implementing agency by mid-day following a vaccination campaign in a particular location. They were analyzed and a report prepared for the Ministry of Health by the end of the day. Previously, data entry also would have taken 40 hours using paper and pencil surveys.

The Kenya and Uganda pilots demonstrated the value of using PDAs for information dissemination. In Uganda, 95 per cent of physicians reported that using the reference materials over a three month period improved their ability to treat patients effectively. This included improvements in diagnosis, drug ion and overall treatment. In Kenya, the majority of students actively used the treatment guidelines and referred to the medical references and textbooks stored on the PDA during their clinical practice.

Mobile Walkie Talkies in Uganda

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:54:32 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The Rural Extended Services and Care for Ultimate Emergency Relief (RESCUER) pilot project in eastern Uganda uses a VHF radio and mobile walkie talkies to enable a network of traditional birth attendants to partner with the public health service centers in order to deliver health care to pregnant women. This results in increased and timelier patient referrals as well as providing health care to larger numbers of pregnant women. RESCUER led to a reduction in maternal mortality from 500 per 100,000 in 1996 to 271 in 1999.

United States SAFEVAX

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:58:06 GMT

After September 11, concern about weaponized smallpox led Voxia’s client to vaccinate its personnel against the disease. As data on the effects of the smallpox vaccine were more than 30 years old, and because of changing demography and health status of the U.S. population, Voxiva’s client wanted to closely monitor the recipients of the vaccine. The objectives were to protect personnel against infection, and also protect against any adverse effects of the vaccine.

In collaboration with Abt Associates, Voxiva developed SAFEVAX, an adverse event reporting solution that enables rapid identification of vaccine reactions, analysis of reaction patterns and trends. It also provides for an automatic alert and notification. Criteria can be specified (e.g. fever over 103 degrees) that would result in an automatic telephone or e-mail notification being sent to the appropriate person. Each vaccinee, using a secure ID and Password, reports “ Take” and reaction data on a daily basis via phone or the Internet. If vaccinees don’t report on schedule, they receive a reminder call from a call center operator who can help them submit their data. To ensure security, Voxiva hosts SAFEVAX at a carrier grade, HIPAA-compliant facility. Data collected is available only to designated and authorized personnel. The data is collected and stored in a centralized database where it can be viewed or forwarded in common formats for further manipulation and analysis.

Voxiva HealthWatch

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:59:46 GMT

Voxiva HealthWatch is designed to help strengthen the capacity of national, state, regional and local governments to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks. Voxiva HealthWatch enables field staff to submit real-time data reports to the system via web, text messaging, mobile phone or PDA. The data can then be mapped and analyzed by supervisors via a web interface. Communication tools permit sending alerts and broadcasting messages back the field. Voxiva HealthWatch can also be used to store and share key documents and other relevant information.

Voxiva HealthWatch is being used in developing countries around the world such as Peru, India and Indonesia. It is also being used in the United States by local government agencies such as the Washington, DC and San Diego Departments of Health.

For example, Voxiva HealthWatch has been used in three Indonesian provinces by more than 150 agricultural workers, who are being trained to use mobile phones to document suspected cases of Avian Flu among birds. The H5N1 virus is a major health concern in the country, which has led to the deaths of more than 70 people. In the past, it could take weeks or even months for officials at the Ministry of Agriculture to receive vital information about suspected outcomes and take appropriate action such as halting or redirecting bird shipments. Now, vital data will be transmitted – instantly – via mobile phone software to central health authorities who are able to pinpoint suspected cases, respond, and offer feedback. The approach leverages Indonesia’s cellular, which covers over 90 percent of the nation’s 220 million population.

Voxiva Pyramid Platform

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:02:48 GMT

Around the globe, organizations recognize the need to leverage Internet-based technologies to change the way they do business. Yet, in many places, their efforts are frustrated by the limited reach of the Internet. To connect large, distributed networks of users and make applications accessible to the broadest range of users, they must look beyond Internet-only solutions.

Voxiva’s Pyramid Platform is designed to bring technology to the “Bottom of the Pyramid”. By leveraging phones, mobile phones, PDAs, faxes, and radios, as well as the Internet, applications built and deployed on Vioxiva’s multi-channel Pyramid Platform have broader reach. Solutions built on the Pyramid Platform allow organizations to collect information from and communicate with distributed networks of people in a timely and systematic way. Voxiva also provides the tools to organize, map and analyze the data collected and make the right decisions. Voxiva systems are deployed to track diseases, monitor patients, manage HIV/AIDS programs, and respond to disasters across Latin America, Africa, Asia and the United States.

WISER

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:07:56 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) is a system designed to assist first responders with hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, health information, and containment and suppression advice. This product is free and is available for Windows Mobile Smartphones, Palm, and Pocket PC.

Digital Inclusion Kit in Health

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:11:15 GMT

The Digital Inclusion Kit incorporates a set of integrated telemedicine and m-technology tools aimed at underserved rural and urban zones. In telemedicine the objective is to allow medical data acquisition on patients who are unable to access specialized medical centers. Mobile devices with portable acquisition systems, such as ECG or arterial blood pressure, allow for building a clinical database for use in preventive medicine. As a backbone, a Virtual Cluster is constructed sharing all patient data between educational and research communities. A Clinical Database stores patient information related to health status, cardiovascular risks through measurable variables such as arterial pressure, congenital illness treatments, diet, ECG’s and medical images. Geographical regions are taken into account for analysis and prevention policies. This information is available for physicians’ consultations and statistics. Database access is through web services and mobile systems including GPRS.

A handheld device is used by a physician to gather a patient’s information through a specially developed application running on a mobile phone (Windows Mobile). Information such as personal data will be incorporated into the patient’s medical record. An ECG module connected to the handheld device, using a Bluetooth interface, will permit the administration of an ECG which will be later entered into the medical record.

Guatemalan Nursing Promotion Program

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:22:10 GMT

This is a program to educate and train nursing students while delivering nursing care to remote areas of Guatemala. Doctors and medical staff working in the country’s capital, Guatemala City, assist and guide the nursing students who carry emergency kits for initial diagnosis, treatment of emergencies, ordinary problems, and follow-up visits. Serious cases are referred to the nearest clinic.

Before becoming part of this mobile healthcare network, the nursing students are trained by real-time video conferencing using telephones, computers and a telewriter. Tele-courses are also given on-site in the Nursing School in Coban and in other remote areas.

The course “Community Nursing” introduces students to diagnosis, treatment, emergencies, child care, birth, and prevention of health problems in these remote areas. The course is supported by a complete virtual library for accessing materials.

Using mobile telephones combined with tele-learning in remote areas on Guatemala has proven to be a very cost-effective healthcare delivery tool. Mobile phone are relatively inexpensive and are widely used in remote areas. This integrated program has trained at least 300 new nurses in the last year while providing healthcare service in remote areas.