Improving Healthcare Deserts in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Health Improvement Pilot Study Leveraging a Global, Cloud-Based Telemedicine Platform

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The objective of this project was to improve healthcare deserts in Sub-Saharan Africa through sustainable knowledge transfer and capacity-building leveraging an advanced cloud-based telemedicine platform. Method(s) In 2022, WTI and its network of partners delivered 2 telehealth devices as part of the effort to create a sustainable platform to address a known health desert in a previously abandoned clinic in the village of Opoji, in the state of Edo, Nigeria. Providers were trained in two cohorts. Global Experts for this project were organized with Providence Health and their Global and Domestic Engagement (GDE) department and trained in telementoring and teleconsulting. Local Specialists were first trained on the platform and then telementored by Global Experts. To better understand the health value outcomes of these interventions, observational research was employed to measure the improvement of patient-to-provider ratios. These ratios were baselined for average patient loads. Result(s) As a result of the pilot, provider-to-patient ratios were improved. Prior to the WTI program, interventions were only available 5% of the time (9 hrs/wk vs 168 hrs/wk), with very basic expertise. After the Opoji Comprehensive Medical Center was reopened and the supporting physicians were scheduled, patients could be seen with a high level of global medical expertise 100% of the time (24 hours per day). Conclusion(s) Telemedicine technology can improve capacity-building in Sub-Saharan Africa with relatively minimal resource allocation in a replicable and scalable manner. Data collection for the pilot did have limitations. The opportunity to collect patient-reported outcomes, including patient satisfaction with telemedicine visits, exists but COVID and other barriers prevented researchers from fully implementing. By mentoring the local specialty hospital staff to deliver care by cloud-based devices, the program has developed an "Africans helping Africans" approach to achieve sustainable capacity building which can be built upon and further researched.Copyright © 2023