Télé-Expertise en Neuro-Imagerie hôpital Mittaphab Vientiane Laos

To strengthen the skills of neuroimaging professionals in Laos

Project start date : 01/01/2016

Last updated : 16/03/2022

Beneficiary country : Lao People's Democratic Republic (the)

Healthcare themes targeted

Fields of application

  • Health professional training
  • Telemedicine (remote diagnosis and consultations)

Stage of development

  • Routine project/operational

Financing method

  • Public (grant/subsidies, call for proposals/call for tender, etc.)

Area where the project is utilised

  • National (in one country only)

Economic model(s)

  • Subsidies

What problem does the initiative address ?

The shortage of Lao radiologists is compensated by the tele-expertise of neuro-imaging thanks to Smartphone applications.

Detailed description of the initiative

Mittaphab Hospital in Vientiane acquired an MRI machine in November 2014 and opened a Neurology Department in June 2015. Due to the increase in the number of neurological patients, Lao radiologists very quickly found themselves in difficulty regarding the interpretion of MRI scans. In order to meet the demand, the association has been providing annual neuroimaging training since 2016. Between on-site duties, the APNL processes MRI files transmitted by WhatsApp smartphone applications by tele-expertise.
In 2018, twenty-six cases were resolved in this way. These included those of 14 men and 12 women. The ages ranged from 1 year to 80 years : 7 patients aged 1-20 years, 8 patients aged 21-40 years, 7 patients aged 41-60 years and 4 over 60 years. All cases were resolved within 24 hours, 22 of which were dealt with within 12 hours.

What is the proposed solution added value ?

Tele-expertise by smartphone application brings added value through the ease of use and speed of the procedure, despite the distance.

250

Number of beneficiaries since launch

3 Full-Time equivalents

N/C Employees

3 Volunteers

N/C Service providers

Télé-Expertise en Neuro-Imagerie hôpital Mittaphab Vientiane Laos

250

Number of beneficiaries since launch

Target audience

  • Healthcare professionals and structures (hospitals, healthcare centres/clinics, health networks)

Project objectives

  • Decreased mortality
  • Decreased morbidity
  • Reduced suffering
  • Improved treatment

Materials used

  • Smartphone

Technologies used

  • Internet
  • Mobile app (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, HTML5, etc.)

Offline use

No

Open source

No

Open data

No

Independent evaluation

Yes, auto-evaluated or evaluated by a related organization

About the sponsor

Association pour la Promotion des Neurosciences au Laos

Composed of neurologists, neuropaediatricians and neuroradiologists, the Association for the Promotion of Neuroscience in Laos (APNL) has been providing neurology training in Laos since 2005, in partnership with the University of Health Sciences of Laos.

Sector : Healthcare (professionals and structures)

Country of origin :

Contact : Sponsor website Project website

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