Common mHealth and ICT Applications | Examples of Mobile Phone Functions | |
1 | Client education and behavior change communication (BCC) | • Short Message Service (SMS) |
• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) | ||
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) | ||
• Voice communication/Audio clips | ||
• Video clips | ||
• Images | ||
2 | Sensors and point-of-care diagnostics | • Mobile phone camera |
• Tethered accessory sensors, devices | ||
• Built-in accelerometer | ||
3 | Registries and vital events tracking | • Short Message Service (SMS) |
• Voice communication | ||
• Digital forms | ||
4 | Data collection and reporting | • Short Message Service (SMS) |
• Digital forms | ||
• Voice communication | ||
5 | Electronic health records | • Digital forms |
• Mobile web (WAP/GPRS) | ||
6 | Electronic decision support (information, protocols, algorithms, checklists) | • Mobile web (WAP/GPRS) |
• Stored information “apps” | ||
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) | ||
7 | Provider-to-provider communication (user groups, consultation) | • Short Message Service (SMS) |
• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) | ||
• Mobile phone camera | ||
8 | Provider work planning and scheduling | • Interactive electronic client lists |
• Short Message Service (SMS) alerts | ||
• Mobile phone calendar | ||
9 | Provider training and education | • Short Message Service (SMS) |
• Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) | ||
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) | ||
• Voice communication | ||
• Audio or video clips, images | ||
10 | Human resource management | • Web-based performance dashboards |
• Global Positioning Service (GPS) | ||
• Voice communication | ||
• Short Message Service (SMS) | ||
11 | Supply chain management | • Web-based supply dashboards |
• Global Positioning Service (GPS) | ||
• Digital forms | ||
• Short Message Service (SMS) | ||
12 | Financial transactions and incentives | • Mobile money transfers and banking services |
• Transfer of airtime minutes |
Abbreviations: GPRS, General Packet Radio Service; WAP, Wireless Application Protocol.