How to bring health care in Africa to a new level? The Philips Foundation and the Africa eHealth Foundation support financially and with manpower, a social programme set up in the service area of two non-governmental (mission) hospitals in Ghana. Its starts with empowering the communities and the community health workers through the AfyaPro App and to connect them to the health clinic and the hospital that uses the AfyaPro hospital software. This software supports the whole patient flow, including billing, pharmacy, lab and imaging. Its’ outstanding point is the electronic health record and the intelligence build in. Now, the digital highway will be created that links the patients and communities to the health facilities- often over large distances. A new way of improving health care becomes possible, including working with care-paths, decision support, providing educational contents and outcome management.
Diabetes -hypertension and maternal health care are the first two care paths to be included in this program. Wim Rutten contributed greatly to developing diabetes care in the Netherlands. Now, he volunteers with Africa eHealth to bring his expertise to Ghana. Together with the staff in the health facilities, the best ways of working are defined. All lessons learnt are crafted into AfyaPro and the accompanying change management practice.
