Watch the video: https://zenodo.org/records/15012090
Partners
Introduction
Exploring healthcare workers’ informal use of personal mobile phones
- We know anecdotally that healthcare workers use their own phones to plug gaps in the healthcare system
- This research project aims to explore how they are doing this, the reasons for this, possible benefits and harms, and ways forward
- Healthcare workers’ informal use of personal mobile phone is a relatively unexplored topic and input from all stakeholders will be valuable in exploring this
The mHealth-Innovate research consortium has worked since 2021 on a multi-year project involving:
1. A HIFA thematic discussion - published in Oxford Open Digital Health: Using an online community of practice to explore the informal use of mobile phones by health workers
Claire Glenton et al. 2023.
2. A qualitative evidence synthesis - published in the Cochrane Library: Healthcare workers’ informal uses of mobile phones and other mobile devices to support their work: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Claire Glenton et al. 2024
3. Two primary research projects in Uganda to explore the issues with health workers and with policymakers (2024) - Publication in progress.
Overview of research and findings
Further details are available in this short guide.
The current challenge
In 2025 HIFA's role is to review the research findings collectively and discuss the implications for policy and practice.
In the FIRST phase, from now until 21 April, we shall discuss the findings informally. Do the findings resonate with your experience?
Specifically we shall revisit the findings of our 2023 and 2024 papers and invite HIFA members to comment. We shall explore a range of questions that arise from the findings.
In the SECOND phase, from 22 April to 25 May, we shall build on all of the above to look to the future, with a structured thematic discussion to explore strategies for addressing the downsides of informal mobile phone use while retaining the benefits.
What you can do
If you are not already a member of the HIFA forum, please join us (free): www.hifa.org/joinhifa - all interactions will take place on the forum.
French, Portuguese and Spanish speakers are invited to join HIFA-fr, HIFA-pt and HIFA-es: www.hifa.org/join
Please download the three publications mentioned above as a reference. They are all freely available.
We welcome new members to join the discussions (free). Please forward the above to your contacts and networks and invite them to join us.
We encourage anyone who is interested in informal mHealth to join the ongoing discussion on the HIFA forum: www.hifa.org/join
For more information, see the Project webpage