GUIDE^™

What is it?

GUIDE is a content management system which SATELLIFE developed to convert very large clinical documents into format which is readable and usable on the very small screens of mobile computing devices. GUIDE helps to put information, literally, into the hands that heal.

What do you use it for?

GUIDE makes it possible to bring vast amounts of accurate, reliable, up-to-date clinical information resources to health workers in remote rural communities or to the pockets of health workers in under-served communities. Using GUIDE, Ministries of Health, international aid agencies, NGOs, and global health authorities can make their treatment guidelines, clinical protocols, research, and updates available to anyone who uses a mobile device. Regardless of the digital system in which they are created, GUIDE can convert the document into a format which looks great on the mobile - and it preserves the graphic elements such as charts, tables, and pictures which are so important to understand much clinical material. Because the information resources are resident on the mobile, it doesn't matter whether the user has a constant Internet. Additions to the mobile library connection and updates to already existing content can be easily made via a cable connection to another computer, using Bluetooth, over an internet connection, or by simple inserting a tiny, easily transportable updated SD card.

Why is it important? Doesn't everyone have access to the Internet?

The average 13 year old American has access to more health and medical information via the family personal computer than a medical school graduate in a developing country. For that graduating physician in India or Botswana, the World Wide Web and medical journal subscriptions are unimaginable luxuries. Simply put, the inability to access medical and health information hobbles healthcare providers in the world's poorest countries. Due to poor communications infrastructure and prohibitively high cost, doctors, nurses, and public health workers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America can not get the fundamental health information required for good practice and sound decision-making. Most health workers do not have access to a reliable Internet connection, even if they can afford to pay for it. And beyond the issue of what it costs, much of the medical information available on the Internet is irrelevant in the world's poorest regions, which lack facilities and funds for widespread laboratory testing and up-to-the-minute treatment.

I've heard of projects that donate used textbooks and journals to countries in Africa. Isn't that good enough?

Anything that improves access to information is helpful, but medical education in many of these countries is of a very high quality and the trained doctors and nurses are not unsophisticated. They know that there is a wealth of scientific and medical information that can help them be better at their jobs and deliver better health care to their patients. Besides, when was the last time your doctor consulted a journal while you were in the examining room? GUIDE makes vital information available to the health worker at the point-of-care.

How do I find out more about GUIDE^™?

Please send an email message to: guide@healthnet.org