Inspired by the Haiti
earthquake disaster in 2010, the idea of Health eVillages came about
when Donato Tramuto, Health eVillages’ co-founder and CEO of
Physicians Interactive, and Kerry Kennedy, founder of the Washington
D.C. based Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human
Rights, were discussing ideas about what they could
do to help the victims.
Launched in Sep 26,
2011 as a partnership between Physician’s Interactive Holdings, its
subsidiary Skyscape.com, Inc. and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for
Justice and Human Rights, Health eVillages seeks to provide
healthcare professionals working in challenging clinical environments
with medical decision making, clinical diagnosis and training tools
in easy-to-use mobile devices.
New and refurbished mobile phones and
handheld devices (like iPads) are preloaded with clinical decision
support reference tools like patient records, drug guides, textbooks
and related medical data. These devices, which do not require web
access, are given to clinical and healthcare workers to ensure that
they always have medical information available. Besides medical
alerts, the devices support access to references from over 50 medical
publisher resources powered by Skyscape.com, Inc.
Nurses and clinicians in Haiti, Kenya,
Uganda and the Greater Gulf Coast area of the Southern United States
have received these devices. “Health eVillages arm clinicians with
a ‘gold standard’ medical reference tool-kit, so they are
prepared for any situation and are able to properly treat even the
most unique medical conditions. [In] most of the areas where these
mobile devices have been given, people don’t have access to basic
electricity let alone the most advanced medical treatment,” said
Tramuto.
He added: “These
devices enable them to identify the right dose, identify a condition
or seek the latest research in a particular area. For each country we
customize the software. In Haiti we have programs specific to nurses
diagnosing a disease or condition particular to Haiti. The drug and
dosage information is monitored accordingly. Patient details
can be entered in as well. Now there is no need to run around looking
for information either about a patient or a condition”.
Using donated and refurbished phones,
the project works very closely with medical officers and leaders of
target communities to ensure that information is completely
customized and specific to their area.
Health eVillages identifies clinics
through partners and associates of the Robert F. Kennedy Center and
Physician’s Interactive Holdings. Staff members from the project
are sent to locations with specific programs most often requested by
the medical personnel in the area.
They have seven pilot
projects running and early data points shows that medical personnel
rate their data finding methods very helpful. “We hope to raise
more funds after the competition of our pilot projects”, said
Tramuto. Health eVillages clearly has big plans for the future of
mobile health technology.
(Source: AudienceScapes)
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