280527
Referral exchange system: Facing challenges in use of technology to improve referral efficiency and quality
EMAS-Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival, a five year USAID funding project in Indonesia (2011-2016) introducing the referral exchange serves as a mechanism to improve efficiency within the referral system. This innovative SMS-based “Referral Exchange” was developed as a more efficient mechanism for identification of the appropriate referral destination, referral notification, referral acknowledgement and referral disposition. The platform for the referral exchange will also enable community health center staff to receive phone advice, if needed, from the hospital staff prior to sending the patient to the hospital. The Referral Exchange will only be as effective as the referral system itself. Its success is entirely dependent on the success of the other EMAS approaches aimed at improving quality of emergency obstetric and neonatal care services, increasing coordination amongst facilities, integrating private sector facilities, increasing accountability, and minimizing financial barriers. In the first three months of introduction in Cirebon district, the use of referral exchange information system is gradually increase, from 151 cases in November 2012, to 288 in December and 193 in January (per January 14, 2013). All those 632 referral cases were successfully safely delivered and resulting healthy mother and baby.
Communication and informatics
Learning Objectives:
demonstrate the referral exchange system using mobile technology, and describe how the referral exchange system works in a state context
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am one of the senior managers for the program. From my 17 years experience in public health in Indonesia, I believe this refferal sistem buid in EMAS Program would contribute significantly to MMR and NMR decreasing.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.