Using a mHealth system to recall and refer existing clients and refer community members with health concerns to primary healthcare facilities in South Africa: a feasibility study

dc.contributor.authorJordaan, Esme
dc.contributor.authorOdendaal, Willem A.
dc.contributor.authorLewin, Simon A.
dc.date.accessioned2021-01-04T07:49:10Z
dc.date.available2021-01-04T07:49:10Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.description.abstractBackground: Lay health workers (LHWs) are critical in linking communities and primary healthcare (PHC) facilities. Effective communication between facilities and LHWs is key to this role. We implemented a mobile health (mHealth) system to improve communication and continuity of care for chronically ill clients. The system focused on requests from facility staff to LHWs to follow up clients and LHW referrals of people who needed care at a facility. We implemented the system in two rural and semi-rural sub-districts in South Africa. Objective: To assess the feasibility of the mHealth system in improving continuity of care for clients in PHC in South Africa. Method: We implemented the intervention in 15 PHC facilities. The clerks issued recalls to LHWs using a tablet computer. LHWs used smartphones to receive these requests, communicate with clerks and refer people to a facility. We undertook a mixed-methods evaluation to assess the feasibility of the mHealth system. We analysed recall and referral data using descriptive statistics. We used thematic content analysis to analyse qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with facility staff and a researcher fieldwork journal. Results: Across the sub-districts, 2,204 clients were recalled and 628 (28%) of these recalls were successful. LHWs made 1,085 referrals of which 485 (45%) were successful.en_US
dc.identifier.citationJordaan, E. et al. (2020). Using a mHealth system to recall and refer existing clients and refer community members with health concerns to primary healthcare facilities in South Africa: a feasibility study. Global Health Action 13(1),1717410en_US
dc.identifier.issn1654-9880
dc.identifier.uri10.1080/16549716.2020.1717410
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/5525
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_US
dc.subjectClient referralen_US
dc.subjectCommunity-based servicesen_US
dc.subjectContinuity of careen_US
dc.subjectHealthcare facilityen_US
dc.subjectLay health workersen_US
dc.titleUsing a mHealth system to recall and refer existing clients and refer community members with health concerns to primary healthcare facilities in South Africa: a feasibility studyen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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