Title: Mobile Health: The potential of mobile telephony to bring health care to the majority
Authors: Rafael Anta, Shireen El-Wahab, and Antonino Giuffrida
Pages: 32 pp.
Source: Innovation Note
Publisher: Inter-American Development Bank
Date (published): 05/02/2009
Date (accessed): 22/11/2009
Type of information: technical note
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
Acute and emerging epidemiological challenges are encouraging public sector to welcome
and support the development of increasingly innovative health care initiatives.
Given that nearly 70 out of every 100 people carry a mobile phone in the region, if the
easy-to-use mobile platform can be applied to health care to contribute to increased
equity, mobile care could also contribute to improved clinical outcomes and productivity,
as well as to better public health monitoring and education...
This paper examines the current and emerging trends in mobile health, with particular
emphasis on lessons learned and on potential opportunities for Latin America to apply
mobile services to health care efforts to benefit the majority of people.