top of page
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
Search

EMR4All Pilot Results: Bringing Offline Digital Health to a Remote Clinic

How a low-cost, solar-powered OpenMRS system is transforming patient care in communities with limited electricity and internet.


We are incredibly excited to announce the successful completion of the EMR4All pilot phase at the Sen. Dr. Idris Kuta Memorial Primary Healthcare Centre in Minna, Nigeria. This project marks a significant milestone in our mission to deliver sustainable digital health solutions to underserved communities everywhere.


The Challenge: Bridging the Digital Divide

The clinic in Minna serves between 50 to 70 patients every single day, providing essential services like antenatal care, immunizations, consultations, and laboratory tests. However, like many remote facilities, it faces two major hurdles: unreliable electricity and little to no internet connectivity. These challenges have traditionally excluded such communities from the benefits of modern Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems.


Our Innovative, Offline-First Solution

We met these challenges with a simple, robust, and affordable solution built on open-source technology:

  • OpenMRS 3 on Raspberry Pi: We deployed the powerful OpenMRS 3 platform on a tiny, low-cost Raspberry Pi computer, turning it into a full-fledged medical records server.

  • Solar-Powered Resilience: To solve the power problem, we integrated a solar panel, ensuring the system can run 24 hours a day, completely independent of the grid.

  • Offline Access via Tablets: Healthcare workers use Android tablets that connect directly to the Raspberry Pi via a local wireless hotspot. This allows them to register patients, record visits, and manage data, all without needing an internet connection.

A Breakdown of the Pilot

What We Achieved:

  • Proof that a fully functional offline EMR system is possible in low-resource settings.

  • Successful training of clinic staff on digital literacy and using the new system.

  • Collected invaluable feedback to improve the system for future scaling.

Lessons Learned & Solutions:Our initial setup using a power bank proved insufficient. We listened, adapted, and installed a solar panel, which completely resolved the power issue and guaranteed uninterrupted operation a key learning for future deployments!


Cost-Effective Impact

One of the most groundbreaking aspects of this pilot is its cost-effectiveness. The entire deployment, including all hardware, logistics, and training, was achieved for approximately $780 USD. This demonstrates a highly scalable model for bringing digital health to thousands of similar communities around the world.


Hear From the Users Themselves!

Don't just take our word for it. See the impact through the eyes of the healthcare workers who use the system every day.


What's Next for EMR4All?

This pilot is just the beginning. Our roadmap includes:

  • Customizing the system for specific needs like maternal and child health (MNCH).

  • Developing an offline SMS module to send appointment and lab result reminders.

  • Building a data synchronization feature to aggregate data from multiple remote clinics onto a central server.

Thank You!

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of our team, the support of the OpenMRS community, and the warm welcome and cooperation from the local health authorities and staff in Minna.

We are just getting started. Join us on this journey to ensure no patient is left behind in the digital health revolution.

Learn more about our work and get involved at www.emr4all.org



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page