Strengthening the Referral System through Mobile Phone Networking

A new initiative is being launched today, 24 June 2016, to strengthen the referral system in Dar es Salaam and improve communication between health facilities, ensuring mothers and newborns are able to access quality treatment and care when they need it.

The Dar es Salaam Regional Health Management Team, in collaboration with CCBRT, are tackling the problem of ineffective communications between dispensaries, health centres and hospitals – which can result in uncoordinated patient referrals and delays in treatment and care – by harnessing mobile phone technology and launching a Closed User Group (CUG).

Phones will be connected in 23 facilities and 7 ambulances, as well as to 3 District Medical Offices and the Regional Health Management Team Coordinator. This will allow representatives from low-level and high-level facilities within the CUG to enter into two-way communication to inform staff about patients in transit, seek consultation advice on patient management, provide clinical histories, assist with collective decision making based on agreed standards and communicate with ambulances directly.

 Phone users from the 23 facilities and 7 ambulance drivers received a 1-day orientation facilitated by CCBRT on the practical use of phones, as well as criteria for referral. The CUG will also help to strengthen the wider system by informing and educating other facilities on the progress of the iniaitive within the 23 connected facilities through Whatsapp messages and pictures.

 

This initiative to improve referral communication between health facilities is made possible by the generous support of Vodafone Foundation through a private/public partnership with USAID/PEPFAR. Additional programme support is provided by Global Affairs Canada. Vodacom Tanzania provided in-kind support. CCBRT is tackling the challenge of maternal and newborn mortality by engaging in an extensive Maternal & Newborn Health Capacity Building Programme in 23 sites across Dar es Salaam, including training, provision of supplies and equipment and renovation of facilities among some of its activities; alongside the construction of CCBRT’s Maternity & Newborn Hospital, which will act as a high-risk referral hospital for mother and baby on its opening in early 2018.

The referral strengthening initiative is part of second national plan (One Plan ll) which aims to see by the end 2020 a strengthened referral system throughout Tanzania. Reducing delays and inefficiencies in referrals, particularly in emergency situations, is critical to the Government of Tanzania’s aim of reducing maternal and newborn deaths.