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http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26218
Title: | A Mobile Health Platform to Disseminate Validated Institutional Measurements During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Utilization-Focused Evaluation Study |
Authors: | Zamberg I Manzano S Posfay-Barbe K Windisch O Agoritsas T Schiffer E |
Keywords: | SARS-COV-2;covid-19;dissemination;health policy;infectious disease;information;knowledge;mHealth;novel coronavirus;outbreak;preparation;public health;smartphone;Betacoronavirus;COVID-19;China;Coronavirus;Coronavirus Infections;Diffusion of Innovation;Disease Outbreaks;Health Facilities;Health Policy;Hospitals, Pediatric;Humans;Information Dissemination;Pandemics;Pneumonia, Viral;SARS-CoV-2;Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome;Smartphone;Telemedicine |
Publication Date: | 14-Apr-2020 |
Publisher: | JMIR Publications Inc. |
Citation: | Zamberg I, Manzano S, Posfay-Barbe K, Windisch O, Agoritsas T, Schiffer EA Mobile Health Platform to Disseminate Validated Institutional Measurements During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Utilization-Focused Evaluation StudyJMIR Public Health Surveill 2020;6(2):e18668doi: 10.2196/18668PMID: 32250958PMCID: 7159056 |
Abstract: | <jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>As part of the response plans for the current outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), authorities are drafting and implementing containment measures across jurisdictions worldwide in the effort to slow down transmission and reduce the infection rate. A solid communication strategy is needed to increase the reach of valid information to health professionals, reduce misinformation, and efficiently implement recommended measures.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective</jats:title> <jats:p>The aim of this paper is to describe the utilization of a dedicated mobile health (mHealth) platform to disseminate up-to-date and validated information about SARS-CoV-2 to all medical staff of the Children’s Hospital at the University Hospitals of Geneva.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>Three documents containing institutional information concerning screening, local containment procedures, and frequently asked questions and answers for parents were made available to the staff through a mobile app developed in the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Using a third-party statistics tool, we anonymously monitored user activity as well as content utilization patterns since the diagnosis of the first case of SARS-CoV-2 in Switzerland on February 25, 2020.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>From February 25, 2020, to March 13, 2020 (18 days), information documents on SARS-CoV-2 were viewed 859 times, which accounted for 35.6% of the total content views (total views=332). User activity increased significantly with 50.8 (SD 14.4) users per day in this period as compared to the previous weeks (mean 26.4, SD 9.8; P<.001). In addition, session numbers per day more than doubled during the aforementioned period (P<.001). In a survey, medical staff found the information easy to find within the app. On a 10-point Likert scale, the ability of the app to reassure staff in clinical practice was rated as 7.6 (SD 2.1), time-saving ability was rated as 8.5 (SD 2.1), and the need to look for information from other sources was rated as 5.9 (SD 3.3).</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>The use of an mHealth solution to disseminate novel coronavirus–related information seemed to be an effective and time-saving communication channel within our institution during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Medical staff felt reassured and informed in daily practice. More research should be done on the clinical impact and outcomes of the integration of mHealth solutions as a communication channel of validated information within health institutions.</jats:p> </jats:sec> |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26218 |
metadata.dc.identifier.doi: | 10.2196/18668 |
ISSN: | 2369-2960 2369-2960 10.2196/18668 |
Appears in Collections: | Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact Publications |
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File | Description | Size | Format | |
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MobileHealthPlatform.pdf | 279.26 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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