I've got 99 problems but a phone ain't one

Electronic health (e-health) is a broad term which encompasses electronic supported processes and communication in health care with the potential to impact positively on multiple different areas. This including medical record keeping, clinical decision support and coordination of care in many different health care settings. The massive international expansion in mobile connectivity has the potential to revolutionise access to healthcare in lower and middle income countries although this requires infrastructure and investment. Kumar et al report on two recent initiatives from Kenya where there are almost 38 million mobile phone subscriptions (population 44 million) and mobile phone subscriptions form 99% of all internet subscriptions. The first is an attempt to create a scalable clinical decision support system supported by a global network of specialists including many clinicians born in Kenya and now working overseas. The second effectively extracts digital information from paper based records using low cost and locally produced tools such as rubber stamps to improve adherence to clinical practice guidelines. These initiatives bring down the costs of remote consultations and clinical audit and offer the potential for clinics in resource limited settings to deliver high quality care. It is interesting to read. The challenges are relevant to all health care settings. The authors rightly make the case for continued and increased investment …