Handheld computers for rural healthcare: Experiences from research concept to global operations
نویسندگان
چکیده
We describe the Ca:sh project and our experiences in scaling it up from a research project to the foundation of a global operation. The Ca:sh project is a handheld-based electronic medical record (EMR) in operation in Ballabhgarh, India. The system is designed for paramedical health workers serving remote areas, giving them access to large medical databases in the field. The system addresses two important problems in developing countries: prenatal care and child health. It is open source software based on the free Linux operating system. Currently the system has been operational for 8 months and is used by 10 health workers to track over 70,000 patients. This paper first describes the technical challenges and innovation needed in the design, development, adaptation and implementation of the handheld EMR in a rural setting in India. The paper further describes the adaptations needed to scale up this pilot project to larger, diverse settings and our path from research to developmental entrepreneurship.
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