MIDA is an in-field diagnostic assistant that utilizes existing SMS-technology to support medical information dissemination and the collection of public health data.

Every day, many in the developing world suffer with undiagnosed, yet treatable, health problems. This is due in part to a short supply of adequately trained healthcare professionals, sporadically located health facilities, and the unevenly allocated government and NGO health resources. For the poor, especially those in rural locations, seeking medical help can be a major undertaking both physically and financially. For rural health technicians, getting access to diagnostic assistance and support is difficult and time consuming. For public health workers, obtaining comprehensive epidemiological data from rural areas is costly and logistically daunting.

MIDA aims to help. It arms isolated rural health workers with a free, interactive diagnostic support tool that not only enhances their in-field capabilities, but also compiles health information to assist government and NGO workers in formulating treatment strategies and responses to regional health trends. In addition, MIDA uses mobile technology to minimize the expense, time, and physical demands on patients.

How does it work?

• Health workers use their own existing cellular phones to "login" with a health post ID by sending a text message (SMS) to a free number. They receive a response from an automated system, initiating a lane of questioning about the patient.


• Based on the submissions, the system either responds with a follow-up question or suggestion to aid the triage/filtration of cases. (Submissions and responses would be sent completely by SMS.


• If the case is indeterminate or eligible to be forwarded to a specialist, additional information, notes, and photos (if the health worker has a camera phone and symptoms are visible) can be added ot the case.


• Pertinent cases are prioritized and sent to the relevant specialist for review and response.


• Specialist response (with patient ID number) is routed through the system and arrives as a text message on the cell phone of the health worker who sent the original case information.


• All cases are stored in a centralized database accessible to authorized public health professionals.

Who Benefits?

• Population:Extending specialist care/expertise to previously unreachable areas. Saving travel time and costs for patients.


• Specialists: Extending reach of care without additional travel/inconvenience. New source of patient/case data.


• Health workers: Leads to training of and support to health workers through exposure to specialist expertise (on-site residency)


• National health service, NGOs: Automatic data collection of health cases from peripheral health posts.

Advantages:

• Easy enough to use that no or minimal training is required


• Leverages existing health staff and national health service


• Leverages existing cellular phone technology, network, and handsets


• Scalable and replicable