Mobile Technology in Support of Frontline Health Workers: A comprehensive overview of the landscape, knowledge gaps and future directions

Mobile Technology in Support of Frontline Health Workers: A comprehensive overview of the landscape, knowledge gaps and future directions. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are rapidly gaining popularity for their potential to improve public health, and many developing countries see them as an important resource for frontline health workers (FHW). However, best practices for implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of programs and projects is lacking. This report summarizes current data from over 140 FHW-supported mHealth projects from developing countries to describe the emergent trends and best practices in the use of mobile phones, tablets, and technical platforms by FHWs over the last decade, understand the key considerations in choosing the type pf phone and platform and associated programmatic costs, present the evidence on the effectiveness of mobile approaches, and establish a framework for systematically deploying such tools. The report draws on self-reported data on relevant programs identified through a review of the USAID Compendia and Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI) databases, a survey of projects reported by international NGOs, updated information collected through personal communication with project leadership, and a review of the literature. The findings of the report should assist donors in understanding high-impact best practices and emerging approaches in this space, and provide implementers and researchers with practical actionable understanding of key considerations in developing such programs