mHEALTH-INNOVATE (44) Do you use your phone to search for healthcare information? track supplies? refer patients? (4)

28 April, 2022

Thank you for this discussion. A major problem for many patients and healthcare workers is knowledge about individual disease and appropriate therapies. As a rheumatologist who treats some uncommon diseases, this is especially important. Access to information in the local language is often a problem. Patients and their caregivers need to understand what their disease is and benefits and risks of therapy and proper monitoring for therapy. A digital platform in the local language would be a break through. But of course, the maintenance of such a platform is a major task. I am interested in how members of the HIFA forum envision such a platform. Previous discussion has already noted needs to assess the impact of such a program.

Michele Meltzer

President of Rheumatology for All.Inc.

rheumatologyforall.org

HIFA profile: Michele Meltzer is a rheumatologist at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa. who is developing a MOOC to teach rheumatology in low and middle income countries. michele.meltzer AT jefferson.edu