Use of mobile devices for medical services in resource-limited settings: case study in RWANDA

The term `mHealth´ refers to the various ways mobile devices are being used to facilitate health services. In limited-resource settings mHealth could be the only way to offer services that would otherwise be unavailable. We postulate that adding patient consultation from a distance, using mobile technology for triage, remote diagnostics, and other services that can be offered using mobile technology, would reduce the burden currently placed on doctors. We survey doctors in King Faisal Hospital (KFH) hospital in Kigali, Rwanda, and we base our survey on a well know Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The results suggest that physicians are willing to make an effort and adopt technology if they find it useful in their practice. KFH doctors are also eager to improve efficiency in receiving results from investigative labs, outpatient consultations, research and for managing meetings. In conclusion, KFH doctors understand the benefits that mobile technology can provide to their practice. They are eager to adopt technology that they use in everyday life and perceive it as a way to reduce a burden they experience in a limited-resource setting.