Digital Health Innovation

Using new technologies to push Pathfinder’s work forward

Today, digital technologies, including cutting-edge analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and even virtual reality are all being incorporated into our understanding of where digital health can bring us. But, as digital health becomes more ubiquitous, so does our need to protect those it’s meant to aid.

Pathfinder incorporates digital technologies into our everyday work, while ensuring that laws, policies, and capacity supports the growth at hand. To support health and save lives, we need to build frameworks for fairness, equity, and digital security from the start. Pathfinder is working to bolster the technological innovations across our programs that will support the health needs of our global community.

FPA youth officer Joyce Nakato, showing client toll free number details. Photo: Lovington Kambugu

Digital Health

Digital health is the systematic application of information and communication technologies, computer science, and data to support informed decision-making by individuals, the health workforce, and health institutions, to strengthen resilience to disease and improve health and wellness for all. Digital health connects and empowers people and populations to manage health and wellness. Pathfinder uses a variety of technology platforms and applications to strengthen the quality of services offered at the intersection of the community and health facility; to support individuals to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and behavior change around sexual and reproductive health; and improve access to information and services

Building Local Capacity to Adopt, Manage, and Scale Digital Health Solutions

Local partnerships are essential to manage the implementation of fully scaled digital health interventions. Pathfinder works through local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations, and governments to support the delivery of quality sexual and reproductive health services, using a variety of clients and health workforce digital health interventions.

Strengthening Community and Facility Interactions to Enhance Quality Service Delivery

Pathfinder designs digital solutions that support the work of community health workers, reduce paper-based reporting burdens, and bring higher quality services to communities. Pathfinder designs these digital solutions to connect the community workers and health care clients to the health system through voice, data reporting and recording, SMS, and other digital technologies.

Strengthening Quality of programs through Improved Adherence to Protocols, Supervision, Performance Improvement, and Data Use

Pathfinder designs apps and tools (such as data use training for supervisors and other stakeholders) so that the data collected through digital health applications can be effectively used to inform provider performance improvement, advocacy, and overall quality improvement activities. Pathfinder ensures digital solutions are in line with and support national-level health information systems, ensuring system interoperability and data standards are met, while reducing the burden of duplicative data reporting. Pathfinder also ensures security and privacy of data are kept according to Pathfinder’s and international standards.

Digital Health Conferences

Stay up-to-date on Pathfinder’s participation at digital health conferences and events >>

Countries using this approach

Bangladesh

Egypt

Ethiopia

India

Kenya

Mozambique

Nigeria

Pakistan

South Sudan

Tanzania

Uganda

Featured Projects

OSRA (Family)

For nearly 40 years, Pathfinder has partnered with the Government of Egypt to advance reproductive health in the country. Pathfinder’s…

YUVAA: Youth Voices for Agency and Access

Youth Voices for Agency and Access or ‘YUVAA’- is a flagship family planning program of Pathfinder in India which innovates…

USAID/Egypt Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment Program

For nearly 40 years, Pathfinder has partnered with the Government of Egypt to advance reproductive health and rights, economic opportunity,…

USAID/Uganda Family Planning Activity

Pathfinder is implementing the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Uganda Family Planning Activity that will address underlying social, cultural,…

Impacto

Supporting Family Planning and Abortion Services, locally known as Impacto, has improved gender equality in nine districts in two provinces…

Shukhi Jibon

In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, this project provided adaptive, needs-driven technical assistance and systems strengthening…