As part of InnovateUK funded project: ‘Innovative Off-Grid Access to Healthcare’. research was carried out into the healthcare system in Tanzania, and more specifically for rural communities around Terat, Tanzania, where our partner organisation is based (See the Community Remote Healthcare Priorities Report). The findings confirmed that there is a need for improved access to a doctor, and that remote consultation technology could provide a potential solution. More in-depth discussions were then held with the Terat doctor, and focus groups, to get feedback on how a tele-health system could fit into the existing healthcare system, and to better understand how communities would react to the new technology. Two remote health clinics were run in Loswaki, a neighbouring village to Terat, where patients could turn up, have their vitals taken, and then video call Dr Tumaini in Terat, with medicine delivered at the end of the health trial as appropriate.
The results of the above activities led to a list of key learnings and functionalities that should be included in a remote healthcare Beta-System going forward. These priorities are described with context in this report, and although the supporting evidence is based on research done in Terat, Tanzania, the findings should be transferable to other SSA rural communities with poor or limited access to healthcare. For each section, we set out the high, medium and low priorities in terms of functionality required for the beta system.
The report includes design priorities relating to the following:
- Doctor Location
- Frequency/Scheduling
- Operatives
- Language
- Diagnosis Equipment Required
- Patient Identification
- Conferencing Platform
- Video Size
- Medical Records
- Prescriptions and Medication
- Emergencies
- Costs
- Other General Feedback
