Primary Health Care Information Mobile Application

The WHO defines Primary Health Care an essential health care made universally acceptable to individuals and families in the community by means acceptable to them through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country and afford at every stage of development.

The Four Pillars of Primary Health Care are:

1.     Active Community Participation

2.     Intra and Inter-sectoral linkages

3.     Use of appropriate technology

4.     Support mechanism made available

On numerous occasions, I have encountered queries from Public Health Workers that would entail request on more information regarding the health programs they are implementing on field.  This does not mean they have not understood their trainings and continuing medical education sessions.  As I remember on one conference I attended, the public health workers had so much inquiries and the concerned agency said that they do have a manual of operations for the services – BUT they health workers on the grass root level was not able receive or they are not aware of the existence of  a manual.

So I thought of an information application that is composed of

• ·      Provider to provider communication
• ·      Electronic Decision Support
• ·      Provider training
• ·      Reporting
• ·      Supply chain management

This includes information on

•  
• ·      Health programs
• ·      Roporting of adverse effects of medications
• ·      Reporting on Maternal and Infant Death
• ·      Information on Civil Registry and Vital Statistics
• ·      Information on Philhealth
• ·      Inventory of Medicine

 

One time registration for each facility. This registration will initiate the loading of all the information applicable for the area, like Maps, the Inter Local Health Zone (ILHZ), Referral Centers, etc

 The user interface include 9 different Icons, but the user can just utilize the Search Bar.

On using the Search Bar, the app loads all the information available in the app and those information that needs internet connectivity.

The first in-app capability is the DIRECTORY - the directory would give contact information of health facilities, referral center, specialty clinics available, prioritizing those which are NEAR the health center.

An example of the capability of the DIRECTORY would be, giving more information on a health facility like phone numbers, email address, address and a map.

PROGRAMS - this in-app cabality gives more information on health programs being implemented. This would give links to the Manual of Operations, Promotional Materials and the BEST FEATURE would be an easy way to contact the concerned agency. 

The CRVS or Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in-app would be the same as the programs but this would be about CRVS. his would give links to the Manual of Operations and the BEST FEATURE would be an easy way to contact the concerned agency. 

On POLICIES AND LAWS - This would be a "library" of Policies and Laws that are related to the practice of public health

The Medicine in app has the capabilities of a "library" of the compack meds and essential medicine", it gives more information about the drug. It also has the capability of an inventory and an the user can use this in app to alert the BFAD on adverse effect

The health center can also use this to track their dispensary. The input would be the number of a specific medicine dispensed on  day. This will be reflected on the in app inventory.

The in app inventory would include the medicine available in the health center, the date of replenishment and the number of items available. This in app, automatically alerts the concerned agency on the occasion when the items already need for replenishment.

The Alert in app includes, one tap communication to alert Maternal Death, Infant Death, Increase in incidence of a communicable disease and Alert on Adverse Effect. This in app directs all the alerts to the concerned agencies, there are three ways to connect - SMS, Call or Email. 

The REPORTS in app includes information on how to fill up reporting forms and manual of operations for each reporting for. 

The MESSAGES in app is a two way communication between the providers and the concerned agencies. The public health workers can easily send messages and alerts, the messages and alerts are are archived on this in app.

The PHIC in app would include information of PhilHealth - manual of operations, circulars,  more information on reporting tools, downloads and contact information of the concerned agency