Health-Line Medical Call Center Using Cellular Phone Technology in Bangladesh: Lessons Learned in Breaking Economic and Social Barriers in Accessing Healthcare

Background: In December 2006, the Health Line initiative by a cellular phone company and a health technology firm in Bangladesh has launched a unique program that connects patient population with medical service providers through SMS reporting of laboratory investigations for timely intervention to diseases and serve as the clearing house for health information and services using Electronic Medical Record. Objective/purpose: To understand the impact on access and customer/patient satisfaction through the use of Health-Line Medical Call Center' service using cellular phone technology. Methods: This study conducted interviews of 250 cell phone subscribers who could use the Health-Line services. The interviewees were selected through random sampling from the phone directory and were asked questions from a written set of questions adopted from the Patients Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18) developed by Ware and his colleagues (Ware, Snyder, and Wright, 1976). Results: The findings show how the service has provided improved access to the people including women in remote rural areas across the country and also to people of low income. Results show patients satisfaction compared to face-to-face encounters with physicians doctor visit in terms of patient satisfaction, costs and accessibility. The finding from this study identifies prospects and policy barriers in implementing such services. Discussion/conclusions: In Bangladesh, there are about 20 million cellular phone subscribers which can provide coverage to more than 60 per cent of the households in the country at a much affordable rate. Faced with acute shortage of qualified doctors in rural areas the Health Line cellular phone medical call service has brought about a revolutionary change in access to healthcare and medical information. There are many lessons to be learned from this initiative that can be useful not only to other developing nations but many underserved areas in developed countries also.