Healthcare Services for Nomadics through a Mobile Framework

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Author(s): Suama Hamunyela (Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia)and Tiko Iyamu (Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa)
Copyright: 2016
Pages: 12
Source title: Maximizing Healthcare Delivery and Management through Technology Integration
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Tiko Iyamu (Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa)and Arthur Tatnall (Victoria University, Australia)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-9446-0.ch004

Keywords: Health Information Systems / Medical Information Science Reference / Medicine & Healthcare

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Abstract

Many patients are often associated with various types of health related records, needing care and attentions. Healthcare system is intended for all that live in the country. Normally, there is spread of people across the geographical locations, of both the rural and urban communities. Even though the healthcare service is intended to spread across the country, the services are not always available as individuals require it. Hence, there is need for Mobility of healthcare services at both primary and secondary healthcare levels, particularly in the developing countries such as Namibia. In Namibia, the population is scantly spread far apart in the average of about 175 kilometres between major towns, necessitating movements of individuals and groups, particularly the old, poor, and nomadic people. The challenge is, healthcare records in the country are not centralised or virtualised, making accessibility into patients' records difficult or impossible. As a result, healthcare service delivering is challenged. This chapter explored the possibility healthcare services through virtualisation or centralisation as empowered by different translation of activities. The objectives of the study were to identify and discuss actors in the mobility of healthcare services. Mobility in this paper refers to the availability of services to the nomadic patients. The study employed the qualitative approach, within which data was gathered from primary healthcare services providers using open-ended questionnaires. The moments of Translation from the perspective of ANT was used a lens to analyse the data to examine and understand the power and factors which could influences mobility of healthcare service in Namibia.

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