A Mobile Phone-based Triage Tool to Identify Discharged Trauma Patients in Need of Further Care in Cameroon

摘要 随着伤害成为低收入和中等收入环境中日益重要的公共卫生优先事项， 包括撒哈拉以南非洲(SSA)在内，缺乏改善创伤护理的因地制宜的方法。 喀麦隆似乎比该地区其他国家受伤病的影响更大。而超过60%的伤者 喀麦隆患者寻求正规治疗，之后没有机制跟踪这些患者进行进一步治疗 他们已经出院了。喀麦隆日益增长的移动电话网络呈现出一种新奇的 有机会接触到以前失去后续行动的人群。手机管理工具 这可以可靠地确定哪些患者将从进一步的护理中受益最大，从而最大限度地利用健康 目前用于治疗伤害并有可能降低残疾和死亡率的护理资源 与受伤相关的。我们的长期目标是通过以下方式减轻喀麦隆的伤病负担 我们与喀麦隆医院和布阿大学建立了多学科合作。我们的 总体目标是改善喀麦隆受伤患者的及时医疗随访，以减少 受伤。常见的损伤后遗症，如感染、血栓栓子事件、骨畸形愈合、创面不佳 康复、神经残疾或其他方面，可以在它们成为生命之前得到及时的干预- 或肢体威胁，导致长期残疾或死亡。我们假设以电话为基础的分诊 Tool是及时识别喀麦隆创伤患者的一种可行而有效的方法 从他们出院后的进一步跟进中受益。为了实现这一目标，我们将 追求三个具体目标：1)建立手机作为住院随访工具的可行性 喀麦隆出院后的创伤患者；2)交叉验证基于手机的评估工具，以 确定将从进一步医疗护理中受益的创伤患者；3)描述及时的影响 喀麦隆与创伤有关的长期残疾和社会经济后果的后续行动。 了解手机作为创伤患者随访工具的可行性将增强我们的 了解移动电话如何在多个其他卫生部门使用。验证 识别高危患者的创新分诊工具将使资源集中于确保 患者得到及时的医疗护理，减少了伤害造成的健康和社会经济后果。嵌入到 我们的方法是对临床医生进行过程卫生系统研究方面的培训，为他们提供继续进行的工具 以加强在喀麦隆的护理。这项研究计划是改善伤员护理的重要一步。 喀麦隆的患者和发展一个个人网络，他们可以创造一种以研究为基础的文化 改善了对伤员的护理。 好了！ 好了！

Summary As injuries become an increasingly important public health priority in low- and middle-income settings, including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), context-appropriate methods for improving trauma care are lacking. Cameroon appears to be more affected by injury than other countries in the region. While over 60% of injured patients in Cameroon seek formal care, there is no mechanism to follow these patients for further care after they are discharged from the hospital. The growing network of mobile phones in Cameroon presents a novel opportunity to reach populations that have been previously lost to follow up. A mobile phone-administered tool that could reliably identify patients who would most benefit from further care would maximize the use of health care resources currently directed towards treating injury and potentially decrease the disability and mortality associated with injury. Our long-term goal is to reduce the burden associated with injury in Cameroon through our established multi-disciplinary collaboration with Cameroonian hospitals and the University of Buea. Our overall objective is to improve timely medical follow-up for injured patients in Cameroon to reduce the impact of injury. Common sequelae of injury, such as infection, thromboembolic events, osseous malunion, poor wound healing, neurologic disability, or others, could be intervened upon in a timely fashion before they become life- or limb-threatening, resulting in long-term disability or death. We hypothesize that a telephone-based triage tool is a feasible and effective method of timely identification of trauma patients in Cameroon who would benefit from further follow up after they are discharged from the hospital. To accomplish this objective, we will pursue three specific aims: 1) Establish the feasibility of mobile phones as a follow-up tool for hospitalized trauma patients after discharge in Cameroon; 2) Cross-validate a mobile phone-based assessment tool to identify trauma patients who would benefit from further medical care; 3) Characterize the impact of timely follow-up on long-term disability and socioeconomic consequences associated with trauma in Cameroon. Understanding the feasibility of mobile phones as a follow-up tool for trauma patients will enhance our understanding of how mobile phones can be used across multiple other health sectors. Validation of an innovative triage tool to identify high-risk patients will allow resources to be focused on ensuring that those patients get timely medical care, reducing the health and socioeconomic consequences of injury. Embedded in our approach is the training of clinicians in process health systems research, giving them the tools to continue to strengthen care in Cameroon. This research initiative is the vital step towards improving care of injured patients in Cameroon and developing a network of individuals who can create a culture of research-based improvements in the care of the injured. ! !