Van Dam, Joris, Musuku, John, Zuehlke, Liesl, Engel, Mark, Nestle, Nick, Tadmor, Brigitta, Spector, Jonathan and Mayosi, Bongani (2015) An open-access, mobile compatible electronic patient register for rheumatic heart disease (“eRegister”) based on the World Heart Federation’s register database. cardiovascular journal of africa, 26.

Abstract

Background: Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) remains a major disease burden in low-resource settings globally. Patient registers have long been recognized to be an essential instrument in RHD control and elimination programs, yet to date rely heavily on paper-based data collection and non-networked data management systems, which limits their functionality.
Objectives: To assess the feasibility and potential benefits of producing an electronic RHD patient register.
Methods: We developed an eRegister based on the World Heart Federation’s register database using CommCare, an open source, cloud-based software for health programs that supports the development of customized data capture using mobile devices.
Results: The resulting eRegistry application allows for data collection by field workers using mobile devices and by providers using computer terminals in clinics and hospitals. Data are extracted from CommCare and uploaded into a cloud-based MsAccess database that matches exactly the WHF register. The application can be easily tailored to local needs by modifying existing variables or adding new ones. We catalogued the potential practical benefits of deploying such a paperless RHD patient register program.
Conclusions: We developed a low-cost, mobile compatible eRegister toolkit for rheumatic heart disease treatment and prevention programs based on materials sanctioned by the World Heart Federation. This user-friendly eRegister is freely available and can be readily adapted to local needs.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Rheumatic Heart Disease; Registries; Mobile Health; Open source model
Date Deposited:	13 Oct 2015 13:12
Last Modified:	13 Oct 2015 13:12
URI:	https://oak.novartis.com/id/eprint/24057