Rural E-Health Infrastructure Development - E-Healthcare Systems and Wireless Communications - page 207

the example simple to understand. More complex
solution can be designed as described earlier in
this article.

Individual ID group lead by Rex Earl Gantenbein
were invaluable for this project. Discussions
with colleagues across the world are gratefully
acknowledged, especially the many parties visited
in India. We acknowledge the support received
from Dr Tahseen Al-Doori of 7i Institute, Mr
Sudhir Reddy of TrackIT Solutions, and Mr Karim
Hanafy of Microsoft.

10. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Delivery of quality healthcare depends in part on
providers and facilities knowing beyond doubt
just who the patient is. Failure to do so encumbers
the provision of healthcare at the very least; at
the worst, it can prove fatal (in the USA alone,
it is estimated that preventable medical errors
cause nearly 50,000 deaths each year). While
patient identification errors have sparked safety
initiatives worldwide, these typically focus on
large healthcare institutions and are not suitable
for the delivery of care in the developing world.
Fundamental to this challenge, therefore, is ac-
curate patient identification at the first point in
the system - the primary care facility.
An RFID-based community e-health system is
proposed that works in concert with an electronic
medical record system to support the develop-
ment of out-reach healthcare for rural communi-
ties. By adopting a revenue sharing model, it is
anticipated the system to be self-sustainable and
be able to improve healthcare and quality-of-life
among people living in remote areas. The system
carries risks that need to be mitigated as well as
opportunities for enhancing the service that could
be implemented as appropriate. The solution team
now proceeds with the implementation based on
the solution framework defined herewith.

REFERENCES

Anriques, G., & Stloukal, L. (2008). Rural popula-
tion change in developing countries: Lessons for
policymakers. European View , 7 (2), 309-317.
doi:10.1007/s12290-008-0045-7

Business Monitor International, Ltd. (2007).
Tapping the grey dollar: Opportunities in ageing
populations. Emerging Markets Monitor , 13 (8),
1-3.

Craig, N., Parkin, D., & Gerard, K. (1995). Clear-
ing the fog on the Tyne: Programme budgeting in
Newcastle and North Tyneside health authority.
Health Policy (Amsterdam) , 33 (2), 107-125.
doi:10.1016/0168-8510(95)93672-N

Culyer, A. J., & Newhouse, J. P. (2000). Handbook
of health economics . Amsterdam, The Nether-
lands: North-Holland.

De Maeseneer, J., van Weel, C., Egilman, D.,
Mfenyana, K., Kaufman, A., & Sewankambo, N.
(2008a). Strengthening primary care: Addressing
the disparity between vertical and horizontal in-
vestment. The British Journal of General Practice ,
58 (546), 3-4. doi:10.3399/bjgp08X263721

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

De Maeseneer, J., van Weel, C., Egilman, D.,
Mfenyana, K., Kaufman, A., & Sewankambo, N.
(2008b). Funding for primary health care in de-
veloping countries. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) ,
336 , 518-519. doi:10.1136/bmj.39496.444271.80

The authors acknowledge the IEEE and the various
organizations directly supporting the Humanitar-
ian Technology Challenge effort (managed by
Harold Tepper and Rich Baseil) for sponsoring
the work contained in this paper. In particular,
the contributions of the other colleagues on the