Impact of medical innovations on quality of care in low income settings
Downloads
Access to high-quality healthcare remains a challenge in low-income settings, primarily due to resource constraints and limited access to medical innovations. This systematic review examines the impact of medical innovations on the quality of care in low-income settings. Through a comprehensive analysis of relevant literature, this paper highlights the various medical innovations that have been implemented in low-income settings and evaluates their effectiveness in improving healthcare outcomes and patient satisfaction.
The review identifies three broad categories of medical innovations: technological innovations, innovative healthcare delivery models, and novel treatment modalities. Technological innovations encompass a wide range of advancements, including telemedicine, mobile health (mHealth) applications, and point-of-care diagnostics. These innovations have shown promise in improving access to healthcare services, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, and facilitating remote monitoring and follow-up care in low-resource settings.
Innovative healthcare delivery models, such as community health worker programs, task shifting, and mobile clinics, have also been implemented to overcome barriers to healthcare access in low-income settings. These models prioritize community engagement, decentralization of services, and task delegation to non-physician healthcare providers to expand coverage and reach underserved populations.
Furthermore, novel treatment modalities, including affordable and portable medical devices, point-of-care testing kits, and low-cost medications, have been developed to address the specific healthcare needs of low-income populations. These innovations aim to improve treatment efficacy, reduce treatment costs, and minimize the burden of disease in resource-limited settings.
The review synthesizes evidence from a diverse range of studies to assess the impact of these medical innovations on healthcare outcomes and patient satisfaction. Key findings suggest that while medical innovations hold promise in enhancing quality of care, several challenges including limited resources, infrastructure constraints, and training requirements need to be addressed to maximize their impact.
The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches and sustainable strategies for implementing medical innovations in low-income settings. By fostering partnerships, leveraging existing infrastructure, and investing in capacity building initiatives, stakeholders can effectively integrate medical innovations into healthcare delivery systems and improve access to high-quality care for underserved populations.
This systematic review contributes to the growing body of literature on healthcare innovation and provides valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers seeking to address the healthcare needs of low-income populations and achieve health equity on a global scale.
Downloads
Cross-Barnet, C., Ruiz, S., Skillman, M., Dhopeshwarkar, R., Singer, R., Carpenter, R., ... & Colligan, E. (2018). Higher quality at lower cost: Community health worker interventions in the health care innovation awards. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 11(2), 10.
Bradley, E. H., Curry, L. A., Taylor, L. A., Pallas, S. W., Talbert-Slagle, K., Yuan, C., ... & Pérez-Escamilla, R. (2012). A model for scale up of family health innovations in low-income and middle-income settings: a mixed methods study. BMJ open, 2(4), e000987.
Bhattacharyya, O., Khor, S., McGahan, A., Dunne, D., Daar, A. S., & Singer, P. A. (2010). Innovative health service delivery models in low and middle income countries-what can we learn from the private sector?. Health Research Policy and Systems, 8, 1-11.
Moresky, R. T., Razzak, J., Reynolds, T., Wallis, L. A., Wachira, B. W., Nyirenda, M., ... & Hynes, E. J. C. (2019). Advancing research on emergency care systems in low-income and middle-income countries: ensuring high-quality care delivery systems. BMJ global health, 4(Suppl 6), e001265.
Richard, F., Witter, S., & De Brouwere, V. (2010). Innovative approaches to reducing financial barriers to obstetric care in low-income countries. American journal of public health, 100(10), 1845-1852.
Bhatti, Y. A., Prime, M., Harris, M., Wadge, H., McQueen, J., Patel, H., ... & Darzi, A. (2017). The search for the holy grail: frugal innovation in healthcare from low-income or middle-income countries for reverse innovation to developed countries. BMJ Innovations.
Lewis, T., Synowiec, C., Lagomarsino, G., & Schweitzer, J. (2012). E-health in low-and middle-income countries: findings from the Center for Health Market Innovations. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 90, 332-340.
English, M., Gathara, D., Mwinga, S., Ayieko, P., Opondo, C., Aluvaala, J., ... & Nyamai, R. (2014). Adoption of recommended practices and basic technologies in a low-income setting. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 99(5), 452-456.
Kangovi, S., Mitra, N., Norton, L., Harte, R., Zhao, X., Carter, T., ... & Long, J. A. (2018). Effect of community health worker support on clinical outcomes of low-income patients across primary care facilities: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA internal medicine, 178(12), 1635-1643.
Althabe, F., Bergel, E., Cafferata, M. L., Gibbons, L., Ciapponi, A., Alemán, A., ... & Palacios, A. R. (2008). Strategies for improving the quality of health care in maternal and child health in low‐and middle‐income countries: an overview of systematic reviews. Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology, 22, 42-60.
Makoliso, S., Klaiber, B., Sahli, R., Tapouh, J. R. M., Amvene, S. N. O., Stoll, B., & Schönenberger, K. (2020). Medical technology innovation for a sustainable impact in Low-and Middle-Income countries: a holistic approach.
Das, J., & Hammer, J. (2014). Quality of primary care in low-income countries: facts and economics. Annu. Rev. Econ., 6(1), 525-553.
Bhattacharyya, O., Wu, D., Mossman, K., Hayden, L., Gill, P., Cheng, Y. L., ... & McGahan, A. (2017). Criteria to assess potential reverse innovations: opportunities for shared learning between high-and low-income countries. Globalization and health, 13, 1-8.
Lewin, S., Lavis, J. N., Oxman, A. D., Bastías, G., Chopra, M., Ciapponi, A., ... & Haines, A. (2008). Supporting the delivery of cost-effective interventions in primary health-care systems in low-income and middle-income countries: an overview of systematic reviews. The Lancet, 372(9642), 928-939.
DePasse, J. W., & Lee, P. T. (2013). A model for ‘reverse innovation’in health care. Globalization and health, 9, 1-7.
Oluoch, T., & de Keizer, N. F. (2016). Evaluation of health IT in low-income countries. Stud Health Technol Inform, 222, 324-35.
Arrivillaga, M., Bermudez, P. C., García-Cifuentes, J. P., & Botero, J. (2020). Innovative prototypes for cervical cancer prevention in low-income primary care settings: a human-centered design approach. Plos one, 15(8), e0238099.
Beaglehole, R., Epping-Jordan, J., Patel, V., Chopra, M., Ebrahim, S., Kidd, M., & Haines, A. (2008). Improving the prevention and management of chronic disease in low-income and middle-income countries: a priority for primary health care. The Lancet, 372(9642), 940-949.
Kumar, P., Paton, C., & Kirigia, D. (2016). I've got 99 problems but a phone ain't one: Electronic and mobile health in low and middle income countries. Archives of disease in childhood, 101(10), 974-979.
Marks, I. H., Thomas, H., Bakhet, M., & Fitzgerald, E. (2019). Medical equipment donation in low-resource settings: a review of the literature and guidelines for surgery and anaesthesia in low-income and middle-income countries. BMJ global health, 4(5), e001785.
Lokman, L., & Chahine, T. (2021). Business models for primary health care delivery in low-and middle-income countries: a scoping study of nine social entrepreneurs. BMC Health Services Research, 21, 1-12.
Adeyeri, T. B. (2024). Enhancing Financial Analysis Through Artificial Intelligence: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of Science & Technology, 5(2), 102-120.
Ngo-Metzger, Q., Hayes, G. R., Chen, Y., Cygan, R., & Garfield, C. F. (2010). Improving communication between patients and providers using health information technology and other quality improvement strategies: focus on low-income children. Medical Care Research and Review, 67(5_suppl), 246S-267S.
Adeyeri, T. B. (2024). Automating Accounting Processes: How AI is Streamlining Financial Reporting. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 4(1), 72-90.
Horton, S., Sullivan, R., Flanigan, J., Fleming, K. A., Kuti, M. A., Looi, L. M., ... & Lawler, M. (2018). Delivering modern, high-quality, affordable pathology and laboratory medicine to low-income and middle-income countries: a call to action. The Lancet, 391(10133), 1953-1964.
Adeyeri, T. B. (2024). Blockchain and AI Synergy: Transforming Financial Transactions and Auditing. Blockchain Technology and Distributed Systems, 4(1), 24-44.
Misra, S., Aguilar-Salinas, C. A., Chikowore, T., Konradsen, F., Ma, R. C., Mbau, L., ... & Franks, P. W. (2023). The case for precision medicine in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 11(11), 836-847.
Haines, A., Kuruvilla, S., & Borchert, M. (2004). Bridging the implementation gap between knowledge and action for health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 82(10), 724-731.
Hofmeyr, G. J., Haws, R. A., Bergström, S., Lee, A. C., Okong, P., Darmstadt, G. L., ... & Lawn, J. E. (2009). Obstetric care in low-resource settings: what, who, and how to overcome challenges to scale up?. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 107, S21-S45.
Bhatti, Y., Taylor, A., Harris, M., Wadge, H., Escobar, E., Prime, M., ... & Udayakumar, K. (2017). Global lessons in frugal innovation to improve health care delivery in the United States. Health Affairs, 36(11), 1912-1919.
Rosana, P., Danaei, G., Gutierrez, L., Cavallo, A., Lopez, M. V., & Irazola, V. (2021). An innovative approach to improve the detection and treatment of risk factors in poor urban settings: a feasibility study in Argentina. BMC Public Health, 21, 1-11.
Copyright (c) 2024 Gana Romanus Sigala, Alain Michel Tchadie
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.