Abstract
Since 2001, a monthly telemedicine clinic has helped provide health care to residents in a remote region in Cambodia. Physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and Sihanouk Hospital of HOPE in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, provide consultations via e-mail to a mobile nurse in the district of Rovieng, Cambodia. We describe the operations of the monthly clinic and report the results of a retrospective case review of the first 28 months of consultations. We also report the results of a satisfaction and willingness to pay survey. A total of 264 visits were made during the 28 monthly sessions. Mean duration of chief complaint at initial visit declined from 37 months to 8 months during the first and last 6 months of the study period, respectively. Thirty-six percent (n = 76) of new patients complained of abdominal pain. Nine percent (n = 20) of new patients were given an empiric diagnosis of goiter. The percent of patients requiring referral to a hospital outside of the village decreased over time. All patients surveyed were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their care, and most patients were willing to pay for a visit, with a median amount of USD 0.63. We conclude that store-and-forward e-mail consultative support for mobile nonphysician health care workers is a feasible model for delivering care in the developing world. Further research is needed to demonstrate improvement in health status, cost effectiveness, and sustainability.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 56-62 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Telemedicine Journal and e-Health |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Delivering health care in rural Cambodia via store-and-forward telemedicine : A pilot study. / Brandling-Bennett, Heather A.; Kedar, Iris; Pallin, Daniel J.; Jacques, Gary; Gumley, Graham J.; Kvedar, Joseph C.
In: Telemedicine Journal and e-Health, Vol. 11, No. 1, 02.2005, p. 56-62.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Delivering health care in rural Cambodia via store-and-forward telemedicine
T2 - Telemedicine Journal and e-Health
AU - Brandling-Bennett, Heather A.
AU - Kedar, Iris
AU - Pallin, Daniel J.
AU - Jacques, Gary
AU - Gumley, Graham J.
AU - Kvedar, Joseph C.
PY - 2005/2
Y1 - 2005/2
N2 - Since 2001, a monthly telemedicine clinic has helped provide health care to residents in a remote region in Cambodia. Physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and Sihanouk Hospital of HOPE in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, provide consultations via e-mail to a mobile nurse in the district of Rovieng, Cambodia. We describe the operations of the monthly clinic and report the results of a retrospective case review of the first 28 months of consultations. We also report the results of a satisfaction and willingness to pay survey. A total of 264 visits were made during the 28 monthly sessions. Mean duration of chief complaint at initial visit declined from 37 months to 8 months during the first and last 6 months of the study period, respectively. Thirty-six percent (n = 76) of new patients complained of abdominal pain. Nine percent (n = 20) of new patients were given an empiric diagnosis of goiter. The percent of patients requiring referral to a hospital outside of the village decreased over time. All patients surveyed were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their care, and most patients were willing to pay for a visit, with a median amount of USD 0.63. We conclude that store-and-forward e-mail consultative support for mobile nonphysician health care workers is a feasible model for delivering care in the developing world. Further research is needed to demonstrate improvement in health status, cost effectiveness, and sustainability.
AB - Since 2001, a monthly telemedicine clinic has helped provide health care to residents in a remote region in Cambodia. Physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and Sihanouk Hospital of HOPE in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, provide consultations via e-mail to a mobile nurse in the district of Rovieng, Cambodia. We describe the operations of the monthly clinic and report the results of a retrospective case review of the first 28 months of consultations. We also report the results of a satisfaction and willingness to pay survey. A total of 264 visits were made during the 28 monthly sessions. Mean duration of chief complaint at initial visit declined from 37 months to 8 months during the first and last 6 months of the study period, respectively. Thirty-six percent (n = 76) of new patients complained of abdominal pain. Nine percent (n = 20) of new patients were given an empiric diagnosis of goiter. The percent of patients requiring referral to a hospital outside of the village decreased over time. All patients surveyed were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their care, and most patients were willing to pay for a visit, with a median amount of USD 0.63. We conclude that store-and-forward e-mail consultative support for mobile nonphysician health care workers is a feasible model for delivering care in the developing world. Further research is needed to demonstrate improvement in health status, cost effectiveness, and sustainability.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=15344350552&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/tmj.2005.11.56
DO - 10.1089/tmj.2005.11.56
M3 - Review article
VL - 11
SP - 56
EP - 62
JO - Telemedicine Journal and e-Health
JF - Telemedicine Journal and e-Health
SN - 1530-5627
IS - 1
ER -