Using mobile phones in a Real-Time Biosurveillance Program: Lessons from the frontlines in Sri Lanka and India

The Real-Time Biosurveillance Program (RTBP) is a multi-partner research initiative to study the potential for new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to improve early detection and notification of disease outbreaks in Sri Lanka and India. A key component of this project involves frontline data reporting using mobile phones to overcome problems of Internet-access in remote locations. This paper provides a brief overview of applications available for mobile phone-based data reporting, describes a formative evaluation framework used in the study, and discusses initial findings related to technology acceptance among frontline health workers operating in a developing country.