Some of the top organizations and corporations working in the mobile technology and health space will gather December 5–7 at the mHealth Summit in Washington, D.C. The summit program offers several tracks and a wide range of sessions and exhibits for just about anyone interested in mobile technology and health.
As a practitioner working in rural settings or implementing programs in developing countries you may be attending the mHealth Summit in hopes of connecting with others working in similar situations and facing comparable challenges. You might be looking for an opportunity to share and learn from peers who implement mHealth programs on the ground. Or you may be seeking ways of resolving the kinds of difficulties that won’t be highlighted during official presentations.
In that case, stop by the “Reality Booth” (number 131) for your daily dose of real. Innovative business models are great. New behavior change communication technologies open huge opportunities. Mobile tools to help health professionals build capacity to improve healthcare systems sound like a dream come true. But what happens during implementation? What are the real life barriers and challenges that practitioners face when implementing programs with an mHealth component? Where can you get some honest answers?
The Reality Booth will host a number of expert mHealth practitioners on a revolving schedule. Stop by between 11 am and 7 pm to discuss the realities of implementation with some of the leading mHealth practitioners from around the globe.
The Reality Booth is co-hosted by MCHIP, USAID’s flagship maternal, newborn and child health program, and Plan International USA, one of the oldest and largest children’s development organizations in the world, and co-coordinated by James BonTempo of Jhpiego and Linda Raftree of Plan International USA.
I’ll be at the booth Monday morning discussing some of Medic Mobile’s experiences in Malawi and elsewhere. Looking forward to it!
cheers
Isaac