Mobile Technology: Managing Outbreaks & Epidemics
Today is World Aids Day, an annual global health day that began back in 1988 with the goal of uniting people around the world in the fight against HIV. HIV was identified in 1984, and since that time, more than 35 million people worldwide have died as a result of HIV or AIDs. HIV is just one of many epidemics healthcare professionals across the globe are fighting each and every day.
Technology has come a long way since HIV was first discovered. Today, data sharing, analytics, mapping, and other advanced technologies can be leveraged by mobile applications; applications healthcare professionals can use to manage outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics as they occur in regions all over the world.
Data Sharing and Mobile Analytics
Physicians must often access multiple EMRs and systems to obtain the information they need to treat their patients. In fact, there are vast repositories of health data stored in many systems throughout the world, even in some remote regions like Kenya where the HIV and AIDs epidemic is especially acute.
Mobile applications like iVEDiX are being used by UNAIDS organization healthcare professionals who are helping fight the HIV and AIDs epidemic in Kenya. iVEDiX has been integrated with HIV Situation Room systems in Kenya so that healthcare professionals would have access to real-time health data sets stored in systems at different institutions.
iVEDiX not only allows physicians in the field to access patient data but also real-time data visualizations. Physicians and other healthcare professionals can use iVEDiX to keep track in real time as the HIV and AIDS epidemic progresses in Kenya. They can also use the application to collaborate remotely from different locations reviewing real-time analytics to determine the best course of action given the situation.
Mapping Technologies
Most mobile devices today include GPS, sensors, and other technologies that can be leveraged to create location-aware applications. Mobile applications can be designed to automatically track the location of a mobile device or allow users to input data and plot data directly on digital maps.
The iVEDiX platform leverages mapping technology allowing users to analyze data based on specific locations or regions. Mapping technology is a powerful tool in the fight against HIV in Kenya as UNAIDS organization healthcare professionals can track in real time the severity of the epidemic in specific locations throughout the region.
Mobile Technology Worldwide
Epidemics can quickly turn into pandemics if patients are not quickly diagnosed and treated correctly. In recent years, the world has seen epidemics such as the Zika virus, HIV, and AIDs, and Ebola spread quickly across regions of Africa, the Americas, and other countries.
Mobile technology is available in countries throughout the world and is used by many physicians and other healthcare professionals to treat patients with viruses and help maintain public health. Mobile technology like iVEDiX can be utilized by health organizations across the world to help fight outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics as they occur.