eHealth Digest - Issue 9, 2016

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eHealth Developments

Speakers at the launch of the World Development Report 2016 take part in a discussion.

AKDN eHRC Presents at the World Development Report 2016

In March, Aga Khan Development Network eHealth Resource Centre (AKDN eHRC) presented at the Launch of the World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends event in Ottawa, Canada. The event was co-hosted by Aga Khan Foundation Canada, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada.

The 2016 edition of the World Development Report, a report published annually by the World Development Bank, was launched at the event. The report explores how digital technologies can be harnessed to generate digital dividends and improve the lives of the poor. Evidence on the potential impact of the internet on economic growth, equity and efficiency of public service delivery is provided. The report also includes an analysis on what factors allow individuals, firms and the public sector to benefit from the internet and the barriers that limit gains for others. Uwe Deichmann, Co-Director, World Development Report 2016, presented the report’s findings.

The event included presentations by organisations that are successfully leveraging digital technology for development. Saleem Sayani, Director, AKDN eHRC, spoke about AKDN’s role in leveraging technology to provide improved access to health care services and help build capacity of health care providers in low-resource settings.

Participants, including IDRC, expressed interest in AKDN’s eHealth Programme and in collaborating with AKDN eHRC.

Speakers of the AKDN Health Workshop in Mombasa, Kenya.

Aga Khan Development Network Health Agencies Convene in Kenya

Representatives from the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) health agencies from South and Central Asia, East Africa and the Middle East convened in Mombasa, Kenya in April for a health workshop organised by AKDN.

The workshop provided participants with an overview of the AKDN health agencies; explored the health needs of the agencies; and identified various challenges encountered in the field and how they can be addressed.

Saleem Sayani, Director, AKDN eHRC, facilitated a session on technology and health care and offered solutions that can be used to address barriers encountered in the field by the health agencies. He also discussed current AKDN eHRC eHealth projects including the development and implementation of Teeko, an android-based mobile app that helps monitor vaccination coverage and performance of vaccinators to improve governance and outcomes.

The workshop was an opportunity for AKDN eHRC to strengthen ties with AKDN counterparts. The Centre furthered its relationship with Aga Khan Health Board (AKHB), USA and created a new partnership with AKHB, Canada. The workshop resulted in AKDN eHRC and AKHB, Canada partnering on a new project to connect physicians in Canada to patients in Gilgit-Baltistan, Hunza and Chitral, in northern Pakistan for teleconsultations.

Governance Committee Established to Guide eHealth Activities

AKDN eHRC has grown considerably over the past few years. In addition to supporting the AKDN eHealth Programme with service delivery, the Centre has also started focusing on innovative product and application development through its Innovation Lab. Given the Centre’s expanding operations, an AKDN eHealth Governance Committee has been established to provide formal oversight to AKDN eHRC. Comprising of beneficiaries of the AKDN eHealth Programme, the central body will provide leadership and guidance on all eHealth activities.

In February, the first meeting of the AKDN eHealth Governance Committee was held online during which AKDN eHRC’s products and services, and sustainability of operations were discussed. The Committee will meet periodically to review and discuss eHealth plans.

The World Health Organization features the AKDN eHealth Programme in its report, From innovation to implementation – eHealth in the WHO European Region (2016).

AKDN eHealth Programme Covered in the WHO Report and BBC’s Voice of America

The AKDN eHealth Programme received media coverage from the World Health Organization (WHO) and BBC. The WHO report, From innovation to implementation – eHealth in the WHO European Region (2016), featured the AKDN eHealth Programme as a case study in its eLearning in Health section. In addition to discussing the programme’s activities - teleconsultations and eLearning sessions – in South and Central Asia, the case study also highlighted the eHealth programme in Kyrgyz Republic, which commenced in late 2015, and in Tajikistan; AKDN eHRC’s Online Certificate Course in eHealth; and its Innovation Lab, launched in 2014 to serve as a platform for engineers and developers to design and develop low-cost, innovative eHealth applications and products. The Case Study appears on page 57 of the report.

The AKDN eHealth Programme in Afghanistan also received coverage in BBC’s Voice of America programme, ‘Karwan’. The show interviews doctors and patients at the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) and Faizabad Provincial Hospital. It also covers eLearning sessions delivered from FMIC to health care professionals at Mirwais Regional Hospital.

Learn about the course modules and application details at: courses.akdnehrc.com.

AKDN eHRC Offers Online Certificate Course in eHealth

In order to help build the eHealth capacity of health care professionals, AKDN eHRC has developed an Online Certificate Course in eHealth. The course opened to a global audience in April. The year-long course was launched as a pilot to AKDN personnel in 2015.

The course is a completely online course and includes 10 modules plus one capstone module, which are each delivered asynchronously over a period of three weeks. The course focuses on the core concepts of eHealth, how to implement eHealth solutions and address the challenges of eHealth service delivery, primarily in low- and-middle income countries.

The first four modules introduce participants to eHealth and technology, Information and Communication Technology and the health care system. The next four modules cover the four applications of eHealth: mHealth, eLearning, telemedicine and health information systems. Module 9 and 10 focus on the management, monitoring and evaluation of eHealth projects and programmes whereas in the capstone module participants apply the knowledge they have learned to develop a full-fledged, service-based eHealth proposal.

If you’re thinking of expanding your eHealth knowledge, consider enrolling in this course. Module and application details are available at: courses.akdnehrc.com.

The eHealth team meets with stakeholders to discuss opportunities to expand eHealth services in Tajikistan.

AKDN eHRC Conducts Meetings for Expansion and Sustainability in Tajikistan

In an effort to expand and sustain the eHealth Programme in Tajikistan, AKDN eHRC held meetings with various stakeholders and conducted awareness sessions in communities in Tajikistan.

The team met with Dr Mohabbat Ali, CEO, Aga Khan Health Service, Tajikistan, to discuss sustainability of eHealth operations in the country. A sustainability plan including pricing model for eHealth services was presented. The plan was approved by Dr Mohabbat Ali and plans are to implement it during the year.

The team also met with hospital management at the district hospitals in Darwaz, Ishkashim and Roshan and Khorog Oblast General Hospital (KOGH). The focus of the meetings was to gain insight on the possible expansion of services, specialties and sub-specialties at the district hospitals and KOGH. The district hospitals would avail eHealth services from both KOGH and Dushanbe Medical and Diagnostic Centre (DMDC) whereas KOGH would receive eHealth services from DMDC. DMDC was recently added to the eHealth Programme as a hub site to provide live teleconsultations and eLearning services to KOGH.

Meetings were also held with community leaders in the districts of Darwaz, Ishkashim and Roshan to create awareness about the on-going eHealth programme and gain insight on how eHealth operations can be sustained.

AKDN eHRC offers refresher eHealth training to health care professionals at the French Medical Institute for Children.

AKDN eHRC offers refresher eHealth training to health care professionals at the Bamyan Provincial Hospital.

AKDN eHRC Conducts Trainings and Assessment Activities in Afghanistan

AKDN eHRC visited the French Medical Institute for Children (FMIC) and the Bamyan Provincial Hospital in Afghanistan to conduct trainings and assessment activities. At FMIC, a refresher training on eHealth was provided to 30 physicians and eHealth staff. The team also visited seven teleconsultation clinics, inspected eHealth equipment and obtained feedback on operations.

At the Bamyan Provincial Hospital (BPH), a refresher training on eHealth was provided to 24 physicians and eHealth staff. BPH is soon to shift to a new site. In preparation for this shift, AKDN eHRC conducted an eHealth feasibility assessment for teleconsultation and eLearning services at the new site. The plan to shift eHealth services to the new site was also discussed with the hospital management. During the visit, eHealth equipment was inspected and eHealth-related issues were resolved.

eHealth refresher trainings are part of the annual training agenda planned by AKDN eHRC every year.

In Conversation With

Dr. Murat Atbaev

Director, Naryn Oblast Hospital, Naryn, Kyrgyz Republic

The AKDN eHealth Programme recently initiated in Kyrgyz Republic. What impact will eHealth services have on beneficiaries?

Yes, the eHealth Programme in Kyrgyz Republic commenced in November 2015 in Bishkek and Naryn. It provides teleconsultations to patients and eLearning services to health care providers. Patients at Naryn Oblast Hospital can connect to physicians at Republican Children’s Clinical Hospital in Bishkek for teleconsultations. Health care providers at Naryn Oblast Family Medicine Centre receive professional development sessions also from the Bishkek hospital.

The programme is in its infancy, but the potential for eHealth is great. Patients will now have access to quality health care services that they can avail without having to travel long distances. Whereas previously patients from Naryn would have to travel to Bishkek for treatment, they can now access speciality health care services through teleconsultations right in Naryn while saving time and money. Health care providers will have access to eLearning sessions that will help with capacity building.

I am excited to see this programme develop to include additional sites and offer increased specialities to patients.

Where are the greatest opportunities in eHealth?

eHealth presents the opportunity to create an integrated health care network. It makes it possible to connect primary health care facilities to secondary and secondary to tertiary facilities. This integration creates a strong network of ICT-enabled facilities that can provide quality care to patients remotely. We expect that in the near future the programme would develop to allow for an electronic ring between the Naryn and Bishkek hospitals and other leading health care facilities in Bishkek. We would also look into connecting with centres beyond Kyrgyz Republic.

What are the barriers to eHealth adoption?

Lack of eHealth awareness is of course a great barrier and hindrance to eHealth adoption. We need to create awareness of our eHealth services in communities not only so they avail the service but also save valuable time and money. Another barrier to eHealth adoption is lack of eHealth awareness among health care providers. We need to create eHealth champions who can promote eHealth and its benefits.

What needs to be done to increase awareness of eHealth in physicians and patients in Bishkek and Naryn?

It is very important that beneficiaries are aware of our eHealth service; especially since it is a fairly new service. To raise awareness of eHealth among physicians and patients in Naryn, we need to provide more information through the media and also distribute informational material such as brochures, with further distribution in other regions of Naryn. Physicians and nurses can also help by talking to patients about eHealth. An increase in awareness will also result in an increase in uptake of eHealth services, which is very important.

How do you envision the eHealth programme in Kyrgyz Republic developing?

In the future, we wish to expand the programme to include additional specialities under teleconsultations. We also want to see eHealth services extending both within Kyrgyz Republic and also to medical centres abroad. It is important to create a strong, integrated network of health facilities that are connected via eHealth so that we can provide patients access to timely health care services and ensure health care providers are able to benefit from capacity building initiatives.