Ten Ways Technology Can Help Rural Health

Ten Ways Telehealth Can Help Rural Health SystemsBien Eli Nillos, MDProgram AssociateZuellig Family Foundation

Problems in Rural Health

AvailabilityAccessibilityAffordabilityQualityEquity

Health Outcomes Affected

•Maternal Health•Infant Health•Preventive Medicine•Responding to Outbreaks

and Emergencies

No. 1: Telehealth Can Change Behavior

•Multimedia is influential. It can relay information and updates that can increase knowledge and promote people to take action

No. 2: Telehealth Makes Monitoring Easier

•Pregnancy Tracking

•Incidence of Diseases and Illnesses

No. 3: Telehealth Makes Laser-Focus Response

•Real-time reporting

•Segregated data (clustering)

No. 4: Telehealth Makes Life easy for the Public Health Worker

•Electronic versions of paper-based reports

•FHSIS•Individual

Treatment Records

•TB Registry

No. 5: Telehealth Connects Far-Flung Areas

•Online consultations

•E-barangay visits

No. 6: Telehealth Brings New Information To Public Health Workers

•Updates on Medical and Technical Knowledge

•Updates on Health Programs

No. 7: Telehealth Makes Communities Participative

•Direct Reporting•Direct

Communication

No. 8: Telehealth Makes Referral System More Efficient

•Interlocal Health Zones

•One-Form-One-Data System

No. 9: Telehealth Helps Make Sound Policies

•Evidence –based

•Preponderance of evidence

•Quality evidence

•Better Analysis

No. 10: Telehealth Helps Lower Cost of Service Delivery

•Resource Allocation

•Operational Expenses

Who Should Have The Technology?•Rural health Unit MHO, RHU Staff•Barangay Barangay health Workers,

Community health Teams•Core-referral Hospitals ILHZ•Emergency Response Teams •Patients/Clients•Every one in the community

Twitter: @Doc_Bienhttp://bayenn.blogspot.com (The Freudian Slip)