Mobile phone communication and health system strengthening: a pilot study of telephonic warmline consultation in HIV care and support in South India
Manoharan, G.; Dharmarajan, S.; Ramalingam, P.K.; Mathew, S.; Varghese, J.C.
Journal of the International Association of Physicians in Aids Care 11(3): 184-187
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 1545-1097 PMID: 22357374 DOI: 10.1177/1545109711428010Document Number: 552303
I-TECH India established a warmline pilot in the year 2008 to provide mobile-based technical support on clinical management to doctors caring for HIV patients in antiretroviral therapy (ART) centers. Warmline was piloted from May to August 2008. Standardized call records were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. The service was used by 38 doctors. The study demonstrated the frequency of calls and the nature of questions raised by them. Of the calls, 139 were new calls (90.3%) and 15 were follow-up calls. The average number of calls per day was 2.6 (SD 1.6). Of the total number, 81% of the calls were from high-volume centers. Most of the calls were related to ARV toxicities, ART initiation, and the management of opportunistic infections (OI). The South Indian warmline pilot demonstrated a potential model of ongoing technical assistance to ART doctors in times of need. AIDS-control organizations may consider expanding this model of expert distance-mentoring clinical support as a resource in India and other countries.