Using mobile technology to optimize disease surveillance and healthcare delivery at mass gatherings: a case study from India's Kumbh Mela.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Planning for mass gatherings often includes temporary healthcare systems to address the needs of attendees. However, paper-based record keeping has traditionally precluded the timely application of collected clinical data for epidemic surveillance or optimization of healthcare delivery. We evaluated the feasibility of harnessing ubiquitous mobile technologies for conducting disease surveillance and monitoring resource utilization at the Allahabad Kumbh Mela in India, a 55-day festival attended by over 70 million people.

Methods

We developed an inexpensive, tablet-based customized disease surveillance system with real-time analytic capabilities, and piloted it at five field hospitals.

Results

The system captured 49 131 outpatient encounters over the 3-week s

SUBMITTER: Kazi DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5939834 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature