RapidResponse = SMS + Community Health Care Workers

RapidResponse is a mHealth platform developed by the Earth Institute in collaboration with the UNICEF Innovation Group for the Millennium Villages Project. RapidResponse uses SMS text messages to facilitate and coordinate the activities of field based health care providers, usually community health care workers (CHWs). Using simple text messages, CHWs are able to register patients and send in health reports to a central web dashboard that allows a health team to closely monitor the health of their community. Powerful messaging features help facilitate communication between the members of the health system and an automated alert system helps reduce gaps in treatment.

RapidResponse Overview from Matt Berg on Vimeo.

MobileActive.org

The Time is Right for Mobiles in Social Change: 4.5 Billion mobile phones, and counting.

Mobile phones are proliferating at astounding rates across socio-economic and cultural boundaries, revolutionizing the way we organize ourselves.

With more than 4.5 billion mobile subscriptions in circulation in 2009, they are found in every corner of the world, used by people to communicate with each other, and access and deliver information and services. These trends are highly promising for NGOs and civil society organizations that can now engage people on issues that matter most — through always-on, always-on-hand devices.

MobileActive.org’s vision is to help organizations make use of the most ubiquitous communications technology in the world with data, tools, and how-to resources; build a network of practitioners and technologists in a supportive community of practice; and highlight and explore the many innovative campaigns and projects.