Projects: Collaborate.Health

TecSalud-International Rescue Committee Colombia

A digital data collection and case management solution for refugees 

Agency Partner
International Rescue Committee Colombia
Course
Using Mobile Technologies to Improve Health Outcomes
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Overview

Since 2014, more than 3 million refugees fled Venezuela due to the ongoing political and economic crises. Colombia has received over a million refugees, with approximately 37,000 more Venezuelans crossing into the country each day. Many of these refugees do not have consistent access to food or medical services.

Context

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Colombia is working to provide Venezuelan refugees with access to quality healthcare services in the town of Cúcuta, the primary crossing site on the Colombia-Venezuela border.

Challenge

Currently, IRC uses paper-based data collection in their Cúcuta health facilities to track patients and services delivered This data collection system has resulted in a large amount of incomplete clinical and program data which records the services refugees are provided. In partnership with TecSalúd, IRC wants a digital data collection and case management solution for women of reproductive age who receive sexual and maternal health services, as well as for children under 5 receiving primary care.

Solution

Working closely with TecSalúd, the team developed a CommCare application to meet IRC’s data collection needs, while minimizing the burden placed on clinicians. Data from the application ois stored in  Excel and can generate a dashboard that will quickly provide monitoring and evaluation staff with an overview of IRC’s activities and progression to their targets.

Results

With the ongoing humanitarian crisis, IRC staff have limited availability, making direct communication challenging. When implemented, this application will improve completeness and accuracy of data, patient tracking, and the ability for monitoring and evaluation staff to analyze and report on IRC’s activities.

Project Timeline

This project took six months to complete from kick-off meeting to presentation of final deliverables. Click the button below for a detailed timeline.

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Meet the TecSalud Application Development Team

TechSalud Consulting Slide Deck and Application User's Guide

Partner Spotlight

Gillian Javetski

Gillian Javetski is the co-founder of TecSalud. TecSalud designs and applies practical and sustainable technology strategies alongside local government, NGO, healthcare and academic clients. Gillian has managed over 30 digital health projects that utilize frontline technology to augment health programs in low-resource settings, including a 12-country malaria surveillance system funded by USAID's President's Malaria Initiative. Prior to TecSalud, Gillian was the Director of Business Development and a Project Lead at Vecna Cares and the Director of Partner Engagement at Dimagi, where she played a leading role expanding the user base for the digital health platform, CommCare. She holds a Masters in Public Health from Tufts University School of Medicine and a B.A. in International Relations and Community Health from Tufts University.

Gillian served as the mentor-partner for the development of the application, managing the relationship between her organization, Tecsalud, and the International Rescue Committee Colombia.

Gillian has built her career working in technology for development organizations in various project management, business development, marketing, and operations roles – including at Vecna Cares, Dimagi, Telerivet, Partners in Health, One Laptop Per Child, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).