title: Availability of mobile phones for discharge follow-up of pediatric Emergency Department patients in western Kenya.
abstract: Objective. Mobile phones have been successfully used for Emergency Department (ED) patient follow-up in developed countries. Mobile phones are widely available in developing countries and may offer a similar potential for follow-up and continued care of ED patients in low and middle-income countries. The goal of this study was to determine the percentage of families with mobile phones presenting to a pediatric ED in western Kenya and rate of response to a follow-up phone call after discharge. Methods. A prospective, cross-sectional observational study of children presenting to the emergency department of a government referral hospital in Eldoret, Kenya was performed. Documentation of mobile phone access, including phone number, was recorded. If families had access, consent was obtained and families were contacted 7 days after discharge for follow-up. Results. Of 788 families, 704 (89.3%) had mobile phone access. Of those families discharged from the ED, successful follow-up was made in 83.6% of cases. Conclusions. Mobile phones are an available technology for follow-up of patients discharged from a pediatric emergency department in resource-limited western Kenya.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine , Indianapolis, IN , USA ; Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) , Eldoret , Kenya.
authors.forename: Darlene R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: House
authors.affiliation: Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) , Eldoret , Kenya ; Department of Child Health and Paediatrics, Moi University School of Medicine , Eldoret , Kenya.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cheptinga
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine , Indianapolis, IN , USA.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rusyniak
keywords: Emergency medicine; Follow-up; Global health; Kenya; Mobile phones; Pediatrics