“SMS BASED, PATIENT REFERRAL SYSTEM”

1. “SMS BASED, PATIENT REFERRAL SYSTEM” • Enock Rukundo • Project Stretch goal • Kigali Health Institute (KHI) • Kigali, Rwanda

2. My Dad and 6 transfers.. Project Background…short story! • Purpose driven goal…) • My poor Dad received 6 different medical transfers • From the HC • To the District Hospital • Then Provincial Hospital • To the Military Hospital • The Referral Hospital • To the High-level Private Hospital (Rich..) • And finally to the Military Hospital again (Mutual de Santé support laboratory exams).

3. Problem Statement... Under Construction….. • Referrer data • Rwandan Government Priorities

4. Anticipated Solution Architecture... Critical steps: • Sender submits an sms with patient case details; structured format: ID patient no, content • The filter application makes verification actions i.e format rules • The intermediary filter application re-shapes text sms’s into readable web based or emails formats and sent to the operator/moderator. • Moderator reads case details and decides the final decision or which specialist(s) most appropriate to the case in question • An automatic email sent to the specialist or sender • Specialists logs in the server, reads the case history and provides a response to the moderator and the sender • Referrer reads response from the operator/moderator • The referrer reports action being taken (transfer details)

5. Blue Binder Checklist & Bottlenecks... Work-in-Progress… Critical Control Factors: • Field workers trained • Professional buy-in • Efficient moderator/playing a vital role/important factor • Organizational set-up • Create specific interests for the cause • Impact measurements for the patient and health facilities (hospitals) /demonstration of specific community interests

6. Blue Binder Checklist & Bottlenecks... Work-in-Progress… Benefits: • First and foremost this referral system is a network of people who trust each other and want to collaborate, capacity building and social engineering are thus very important. • Improve access to health care; • Enhance the quality of service delivery; • Improve the effectiveness of public health and primary care interventions; • Improve the global shortage of health professionals through collaboration and training