Here is an important new open-access paper from Mike English (Kenya) and colleagues. ‘The worldwide shift to mobile technology, which is occurring rapidly in both LMIC and HIC settings, offers the opportunity to explore mobile-based training apps as potential tools with which to improve access to training for health workers worldwide. As yet little evidence exists on how to do this most effectively, and what success might look like, and so we urge developers and clinicians to produce training tools and evaluate them rigorously, in partnership with learners, in order to maximise their effectiveness and improve global health.’
CITATION: Arch Dis Child 2016;101:1149-1152 doi:10.1136/archdischild-2016-310875
Global child health
Enhancing emergency care in low-income countries using mobile technology-based training tools
Hilary Edgcombe, Chris Paton, Mike English
http://adc.bmj.com/content/101/12/1149.full
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we discuss the role of mobile technology in developing training tools for health workers, with particular reference to low-income countries (LICs). The global and technological context is outlined, followed by a summary of approaches to using and evaluating mobile technology for learning in healthcare. Finally, recommendations are made for those developing and using such tools, based on current literature and the authors’ involvement in the field.
SELECTED EXTRACTS
‘As a team working to develop mobile technology-assisted training in the field of paediatric emergency care in LMICs and taking into account the situation outlined above, we suggest that the following principles may be useful both for other developers and for those considering using such tools in their professional lives.
Principle 1: adopt a development strategy appropriate for the rapidly moving world of mobile technology…
Principle 2: partnership and collaboration between high-income and low-income settings…
Principle 3: ambition to evaluate effectiveness in the medium-to-long term…
Principle 4: recognition of the limitations and qualifications of mobile technology…
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Best wishes, Neil
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