Adapting mobile medical information search to low-resourced areas

Abstract

Providing good medical care in low-resourced areas is a challenge faced by many low and middle income countries. Continuously improving mobile communication infrastructure in these areas is however providing the opportunity to improve the access to medical information using mobile phones in these areas. In particular, physicians and community health workers based in low-resourced areas could be the first to gain benefit from this technology. This paper considers the implementation of a medical information search engine accessed on mobile devices for low-resourced areas. The challenges faced in low-resourced areas are covered, and adaptation of mobile medical information search for these areas is discussed. Finally, the impact that this technology can have in low-resourced areas is presented.